Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation
by Short Fat Fag
Summary: AU - Seventh Year - Harry Potter disappears just after his seventeenth birthday only to be found tortured, abused and near death three weeks later. Now he journeys to either come out of the trauma or deeper into the isolation of his own mind. Pre-Slash.
1. We Found Him

**Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation**

By The Short Fat Fag

**Chapter One – We Found Him**

The morning of August 23rd was a somber one in the flat above the joke shop located at Number 93, Diagon Alley. Fred and George Weasley shared the flat ever since the beginning of the year when they moved out of the Burrow so they could be closer to their workshop and storefront. The usually jovial pair was known to be happy from the time they got out of bed until they went to it each night, but for the past three weeks, they had been anything but happy, for that's how long Harry Potter had been missing.

The day after Harry had turned seventeen, the day he had reached his magical majority and could openly perform magic, he had been promised that he would be taken to the Ministry of Magic so that he could get his apparition license. Harry had been very excited about it and he had gotten Neville Longbottom to promise to go with him, since they shared the same birthday, Harry thought they could get tested together.

The morning of August the first, Harry had been collected by Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, Mr. Weasley and Bill Weasley and the group went to the office of Magical Transportation for the test. There they met up with Neville and his grandmother and the two boys went to take their written exams.

After both of the boys had finished the written portion of the exam, the group went to eat lunch where Neville sat picking at his meal.

"Come on Neville, you'll be brilliant mate," Harry said to him.

Neville didn't look so convinced, "I don't know Harry, I'm not you…" Neville began.

"And I'm not you, and you can do more than you think you can, especially when you put your mind to it."

They both smiled at each other and after they finished eating, they went to take their practical portion of the exam; they had to apparate for the examiner. After taking a deep breath each of them apparated across the room easily and repeated it across the building with ease. The final part of the exam was to apparate from the Ministry building they were located in to the secure location across the city. Harry smiled at Neville and nodded to him and they both apparated with a crack.

When Neville appeared at the secure location, in one piece, he was excited and wanted to congratulate Harry for his passing the test as well, but Harry wasn't there. In fact Harry was no where to be found. Harry Potter had simply disappeared without a trace. Members of the Order and officials of the Ministry looked for him for hours but without any luck what-so-ever. Harry Potter had simply disappeared and could not be located.

Now three weeks later, after endless reports in the Daily Prophet and countless searches conducted Harry was still missing and presumed to have been captured by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. However, that wasn't true, as Severus Snape had reported to the members of the Order shortly after Harry went missing. In fact Voldemort was furious that someone else had abducted the one person that he wanted to personally kill.

"Severus, it is possible that one of the Death Eaters has Harry and that they haven't reported it to their master?" Dumbledore asked the potions master at an Order meeting.

"Doubtful Headmaster, as he looked into all the minds of the Death Eaters with that theory in mind at our last meeting."

Molly Weasley who had been crying nonstop since Harry went missing asked, "Why is 'You Know Who' so adamant about getting Harry back, surely he would be happy with him out of the way?"

Snape looked to the Headmaster, who nodded slightly and said, "Whoever has Potter is torturing him and the pain that he is experiencing is flowing through their connection and affecting the Dark Lord."

Molly began to wail in despair once more, someone was torturing her Harry. Arthur took his wife into his arms to comfort her. Many of the other members were looking like they could use the same thing done for them. So this is how the past three weeks have gone, the Order, the Ministry and the Death Eaters each trying their best to find the Boy Who Lived before anyone else did and no one succeeding. That is until the morning of the 23rd of August.

On this particular morning George Weasley went down to unlock the door and open for business as usual when he found a large lump of something wrapped in rags laying on his front step. At first George had no clue what it could possibly be, then he thought that maybe it was Mundungus Fletcher come by for a morning cuppa. He placed his hand on what he thought was a shoulder to wake up their friend to come in, but instead he heard a low moan of pain coming from the pile of dirty rags.

George bent down and began to take a much closer look at this person, who was becoming obvious was not Dung Fletcher. The body of this person was covered in bruises and cut marks and looked to be starved to near death. It wasn't until George pushed back the hair from this person's forehead that he knew who he was.

"**FRED!**" George bellowed and drew out his wand to levitate the semi-conscience man into his shop.

"George, what is it?" Fred asked as he ran out of the workroom.

After George shut and relocked the door he turned to his twin and said, "Get on the fire to mum and get her over here as well as anyone one else from the old crowd."

"Why?" Fred asked curious.

"I just found Harry on our doorstep."

Fred's face went as white as it could and he ran back into the workroom and began to frantically look for floo powder to call everyone, while George took Harry upstairs and put him into bed.

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Sometime later, the small flat above Weasley Wizard Wheezes was packed with members of the Order of the Phoenix and Madame Pomfrey who was in George's bedroom taking care of Harry.

"You say you just found him on your doorstep this morning?" asked a very worried Remus Lupin.

"That's right," replied one of the twins, "we were just opening up for the day and there he was at the door."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, he wasn't awake." George replied. "I thought it was Dung at first, but then I realized it wasn't and when I took a good look at him and saw his scar, I knew who it was and brought him up here and put him to bed."

Dumbledore came up and put a hand on George's shoulder, "You did the right thing, George. Without medical training no one could have done better." George gave a half smile to the aged wizard who looked like his entire world may have just come to an end.

Moments later Madame Pomfrey came out of the bedroom and closed the door securely after her.

"Well Poppy, how is he?" Dumbledore asked.

"I won't lie to you Albus, he's not in good shape at all," the nurse answered, "He has multiple broken bones, more cuts and bruises that I can count. Some of them are weeks old and have not healed yet. Also I think he's been under the Cruciatus curse or something like it for long periods of time. There's also a few other things that I think have happened to him, that I won't care to mention right now."

Dumbledore looked at her with a slightly confused look, but the stern school nurse refused to tell anymore, especially in this company. Then the Headmaster sighed and said, "I think we should move him to Hogwarts for the time being then, until he is healed."

"No, Albus, I do not think it would be best if her were moved until I get a few of those bones healed. He has already punctured one lung because of a broken rib; I don't want the other one damaged as well."

"Very well, I'll see to the arrangements with the Weasleys, since they are the ones who are going to be inconvenienced by this the most," Dumbledore said and turned to the twins, who were listening to their conversation with extendable ears.

"He's not an inconvenience!" they chorused together with their arms folded across their chests.

Dumbledore gave a tired smile and said, "Of course, he isn't."

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A short time later at Grimmauld Place Dumbledore was conducting a meeting with the members of the Order of the Phoenix in attempt to compile all the information they knew about Harry disappearance and location for the past three weeks.

Remus had only reluctantly left Harry to come to the meeting, mostly because Poppy had him thrown from the flat by Dobby the house-elf, who had heard about Harry's return and had gone to be by his side. Dobby had become a great asset to the school nurse, as he kept everyone away who might get underfoot. Everyone quickly learned to not anger the little elf where Harry Potter's well being was concerned.

"Headmaster, the Dark Lord is completely unaware that Potter has been found and he is continuing to send out Death Eaters to look for him. I do not believe that he was behind this at all."

Dumbledore nodded to him and said, "Thank you Severus, I concur with your assessment of the situation, however, what we must find out who did abduct Harry and why."

"Why would anyone other than Death Eaters want to harm Harry?" Tonks asked.

"I don't know, but apparently there was someone." Dumbledore replied.

Then the others sat in silence for a moment.

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While the meeting was taking place at Grimmauld Place, Harry was beginning to awaken back at the flat in Diagon Alley. At first he only stirred slightly, but then he woke and he would have screamed if he could, but his mouth was so dry that he barely was able to moan in pain let alone scream in horror. However, both Madame Pomfrey and Dobby were both immediately alerted to Harry's movements and were at his side momentarily.

"Harry Potter, is you's awake?" Dobby asked quietly and received no answer. This caused the house elf to look at the school nurse only to discover that she was equally worried about him as well.

When Madame Pomfrey laid a hand on his shoulder, Harry began to shake and lurch about and she quickly removed her hand. Grabbing several vials from the tray she laid on the bed side table, she began to speak to Harry as calmly as she could.

"Potter, it's me, Poppy Pomfrey and I need you take these potions, they will help heal you. Do you understand me?" she asked and got no response. So the nurse attempted to force the healing potions down his throat, but Harry resisted and fought as best he could considering he had such little strength to fight with.

Seeing her struggle with Harry, Dobby went into action. "Harry Potter, I is hoping you's is knowing how much you means to us and that you's forgive Dobby for this," and with a snap of his fingers Harry stopped struggling and drank the potions Poppy poured into his mouth.

When she got the last potion down Harry's throat he fell back into a deep sleep and when Madame Pomfrey turned to thank Dobby she found the elf smacking his head into the door frame crying, "Bad Dobby, Bad."

"Dobby," she said, "Please stop hitting yourself, you did the right thing."

Dobby stopped and said, "Thank you's."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review


	2. Return to Hogwarts

**Chapter Two – Return to Hogwarts**

After several days of drinking healing potions and resting round the clock, Harry was finally physically able to be moved to the Hogwarts infirmary to be cared for by Madame Pomfrey. However, psychologically, he was no where near being ready to face anything of that magnitude.

Madame Pomfrey had no idea if he was able to understand where he was or not. She had expected him to be in a great deal of shock after his ordeal, an ordeal that she has refused to tell anyone the full extent of, even the Headmaster. She knew he didn't like it, but she also knew if Dumbledore tried to force her to tell something she was not willing to, he would pay for it dearly later. Dumbledore knew it as well.

So at present Harry was lying in bed, in the darkened room, wanting to be left alone. Madame Pomfrey had concluded that he must have been kept in pitch darkness for the entire three week period as he had little tolerance for bright light, a condition that would shortly be cleared up with her potions. The only person he voluntarily let in was Dobby. She had to barge her way in to make him take the potions she brewed for him and left as quickly as possible afterward, before Harry started to convulse and scream. She knew it was going to be a very hard road back for him.

The only sounds she heard Harry make during this time was the screams he made when anyone came to close to him or worse yet, touched him. It was almost like physical touch was excruciating for him, however, she suspected the real reason for it and after examining him, knew it was true. After all he had suffered through in his young life and then to have those …. those …animals do that to him, it was unthinkable.

However, her biggest concern at the moment was how to get him to Hogwarts with a minimum of fuss. For that she needed to discuss plans with Dumbledore and he wasn't there at the moment. So she decided to ask Dobby, he seemed to be able to actually get through to Potter.

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A couple of hours later Dumbledore showed back up at the flat with Remus Lupin to inquire about Harry.

"Poppy, is Harry healthy enough now for us to move him back to Hogwarts?" Dumbledore asked.

The school nurse looked at him and said, "Physically, I would say yes, mentally, that's another story. Do you have a plan on moving him Albus?"

"Yes, I have an idea, but first I want to question him about his whereabouts for the past three weeks," stated Dumbledore as he made his way to the bedroom door.

"Albus, I would not recommend this action. He's been through quite a bit and he doesn't trust anyone yet." Poppy said and then paused before adding, "He may become violent."

"Violent?" Remus asked, "Harry's never been violent towards the Headmaster before."

Dumbledore chuckled and said, "There was that one time, but I think I more than earned it from him."

"Well, I can't stop you from going in there, but make sure you keep the light level where it is, his eyes are just now responding to treatment and make sure above all other things that YOU DO NOT touch him. He doesn't like being touched right now." Poppy said to him in a huff and then went further to add, "Also, I only want one of you at a time in there and I'm sending Dobby with you."

"Poppy there will be no need to send Dobby in with me; I am more than capable of …"

The school nurse interrupted him in mid sentence and finished it for him, "You are more than capable of upsetting him and pushing his recovery back further than it needs to be. That's why Dobby is going in there with you, with strict orders from me that should anyone upset Harry, he is to expel them from the room without haste."

Dumbledore went to argue with her but seeing her face he decided it would be best not too at this time, and turned to enter the room alone.

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"Harry?" Dumbledore asked and received no response. He continued, "Harry, its Professor Dumbledore."

The only response he received that time was Harry rolling over with his back to the Headmaster and curling up into the fetal position with all the blankets curled up around him, as if he was in a cocoon.

"Harry, we must talk about what happened to you, these past weeks."

Harry didn't answer but shuddered involuntarily which caused Dobby to pop into the room at Harry bedside and eyed the ancient wizard distastefully.

"Harry Potter," Dobby gently squeaked, "if you's not wanting him here, you's just tells Dobby and I's getting rid of him." Then Dobby patted Harry's hand gently and hopped around the bed to face Dumbledore and said, "If you's is upsetting Harry Potter then you's will be dealing with me, you's will." Before Dumbledore could respond to Dobby, he popped away again.

"What an interesting friend you have there Harry," Dumbledore chuckled. "Now as I was saying I need you to tell me what you can about the time you were missing, so we can punish the ones responsible."

Harry whimpered and tried his best to burrow deeper into the covers of the bed.

Then thinking he was being encouraging, Dumbledore laid his hand on Harry's shoulder as he had done many times before and said, "Harry I know it's been rough, but you must tell me what happened."

Upon feeling the hand touching his body, Harry gasped loudly and began to shake uncontrollably, which drew Dobby's attention and he popped back into the room and surveyed the damage. He turned to Dumbledore and bellowed, "You's was warned, you's was. You's has upset Harry Potter and now you's is leaving!" Then with a snap of his elf fingers Dumbledore was propelled through the air, the bedroom door sprang open magically and he was sent through it and landed on his backside in the middle of the sitting room as the door slammed shut.

Dobby went over to Harry and said, "Don't you's worry Harry Potter, he's is gone now. No one's is hurting Harry Potter again."

In the sitting room, Poppy walked over to the Headmaster and said, "I take it you didn't listen to my instructions, Albus?"

As Remus helped him up he replied, "It would appear so."

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Sometime later, after Dobby helped get Harry ready, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore came into the room with what looked like a ratty old shoe.

"Harry, it's time we went to the infirmary at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said to him, "I've made this portkey to take us there and you'll be safe at the school. Madame Pomfrey and Dobby will accompany you on this journey and I will see you later this evening, after I have concluded some business with… well with the old crowd."

Harry sat on the bed and nodded in compliance, but said nothing and took the old shoe from the Headmaster and waited for it to go off. Madame Pomfrey and Dobby were also touching it when suddenly they all felt a jerking sensation from behind their navels and moments later they landed in the middle of the infirmary at Hogwarts.

Madame Pomfrey looked over to her charge and said, "Alright Potter, lets get you back into a bed, I'm going to put you into one of the private rooms, so that you can have some privacy." She smiled at him warmly and started to direct him to one of the doors to one side of the infirmary.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry said in a whisper, which stunned the matron and house elf alike.

Poppy quickly recovered herself and said, "Yes Harry is there something you need?"

Harry looked to his shoes as if he were ashamed of something and asked, "I want to take a bath."

"I'm sorry Harry, but that is out of the question. You're still very weak and I'm afraid that you might fall in and drown yourself by accident."

"Harry Potter is wanting a bath he is," said Dobby very strictly.

Poppy knew better than to argue with the elf, she had seen his handy work too many times in protecting Potter, "Alright, I won't fight you on it. However, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be alone, so I'm going to…"

At this point Harry scooted away from the matron with a look of panic in his eyes; he clearly wanted to be alone for this.

Quickly she altered her sentence so that he would hopefully agree, "I'm going to have to ask Dobby to go in with you to keep an eye on you. Is that all right with you?"

Harry nodded his head in acceptance. For some unknown reason to anyone, Dobby was deemed safe in Harry's eyes.

"Very well then, the bathroom is through the third door from the end. You'll find everything you need in there and I'll bring you a fresh pair of pajamas for you to sleep in."

"Harry Potter it is bath time for you's now," Dobby said as he pulled on Harry's hand towards the correct door leaving the nurse alone in the ward.

"It's going to be a long recovery indeed," she said.

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Sometime later, after Madame Pomfrey had tucked Harry back into bed and gotten him to swallow several vials of healing potions, she sat down and asked Dobby to tell her report what happened in the bath.

"Well…" Dobby began, not wanting to betray Harry.

"You don't have to tell me what he said Dobby; I just want to know if he's talking about it yet. Is he dealing with the pain and trauma or is he still pushing it deep down inside?"

"Well…" Dobby began again, not sure how to answer that question.

Poppy sighed and went into a different direction, "Alright can you answer this question; how did he bathe himself? Did he sit and soak in the water or did he scrub himself?"

"Harry Potter scrubbed himself good and clean," Dobby said eagerly, "I was beginning to wonder if he was trying to scrub off his skin, but he stopped before that happened."

Poppy looked a bit sour, but she wasn't surprised by the news. She had been expecting Harry to want to wash away the shame of his ordeal.

"Another thing Dobby," she began, "I don't want you to tell me what he said, but was he telling you or was he talking to himself when he said whatever it was that he said?"

"Harry Potter is speaking to Dobby, but not when he's was scrubbing, Harry Potter is speaking to himself. I's don't thinks Harry Potter knew Dobby was even in the room with him then."

Poppy sighed again and said, "I suspected as much."

"Madame Poppy?" Dobby asked, "Do's you's know what happened to Harry Potter?"

"Yes, Dobby, I do. Do you know what happened to him also?"

"Bad wizards touches Harry Potter in a bad way."

Poppy nodded in confirmation. "Did he tell you that?" she asked hopefully.

"Harry Potter is telling himself about it, Dobby is just overhearing it."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review


	3. The Recovery Begins

**Chapter Three – The Recovery Begins**

"Harry," said Dumbledore jovially as he entered the private room Harry was staying in. "I understand that you are feeling better this evening."

Harry didn't answer, but looked at him from his bed and pulled the covers up tighter around him.

However, Dumbledore didn't act like he noticed this, conjured a squishy chair for him to sit in and continued; "Now I would like to continue our conversation from earlier this afternoon. I really do need you to tell me where you've been these past three weeks."

Harry didn't want to answer him, he no longer trusted the ancient wizard and started to turn his back to the Headmaster as he had done earlier when he suddenly felt the tender intrusion into this thoughts. Harry knew that he was being probed and he remembered the same thing happening to him when he was being held captive by those bad men. As he had done before, Harry immediately responded with his Occlumency defenses and pushed him out of his thoughts.

Dumbledore was stunned for a moment when Harry had done this. He had actually pushed him out of his mind. "Very good Harry, you've been practicing your Occlumency. Now I really need to see what happened to you Harry, you must let me into your mind."

Harry just shot daggers from his eyes at the Headmaster and said nothing and prepared himself for a mental assault. As Harry predicted Dumbledore once again attempted to probe his mind using Legimency. This time he reacted differently. This time Harry screamed.

POP!

"What's is you's doing to Harry Potter?" Dobby demanded of his employer.

"I'm only trying to help him Dobby, I promise you. Now if you'd be so kind as to leave us, so I can help Harry here get over the beating and curses he received."

Dobby didn't look convinced and looked to Harry, "Harry Potter? Is you's wanting to be alone?"

Harry nodded his head 'yes.'

Then the little house elf turned back to the Headmaster and asked, "Is you's going to makes this hard or is you's going to makes this easy?"

Dumbledore looked oddly at the elf, "Dobby, I really must be allowed to talk to Harry."

The elf looked up at the Headmaster and with an evil looking grin on his face, he said, "Dobby is thinking you's wants to be making this hard."

Dumbledore got up out of the chair he had conjured and left the room. Dobby was also about to pop away when he heard Harry say…

"Thank you Dobby," Harry said in a small horse whisper.

"You's is welcome Harry Potter."

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On his way out of the infirmary, Dumbledore stopped by Poppy's office and said, "You know Poppy, I think maybe that Dobby may end up hindering Harry's recovery."

Poppy stiffened and asked, "What makes you say such a thing Albus?"

Dumbledore chuckled and said, "He has threatened to eject me from Harry's room again."

"The only reason Dobby would have done that is if you were upsetting my patient again. You weren't doing that now were you Albus?" she asked pointedly, already knowing the answer to the question.

"Of course I was not. Good evening Poppy."

"Good evening, Headmaster."

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Early the next morning Molly Weasley entered the infirmary with Harry's trunk and all of his new school supplies that he would need for the upcoming year. She had purchased these things for him before his birthday and he was supposed to collect them from Grimmauld Place after he received his license. Unfortunately, that never happened.

Not seeing Harry anywhere in the ward, Molly went over to the office of the school nurse and asked, "Madame Pomfrey? Where is Harry, I don't see him anywhere."

"I put him into one of the private rooms, so that he would feel safer."

"Is that wise, after being held captive all that time? He needs to be out in the open right now," Molly insisted.

Madame Pomfrey looked at her sadly and said, "Mrs. Weasley that is the last thing Potter needs right now. Right now he needs to be in a room where I can control the amount of light that is in it until his eyes heal completely. After spending three solid weeks in the dark, he is sensitive to light."

"Oh dear," Molly said, "I had forgotten about his eyesight being diminished." Then she hurried off the room that the school nurse indicated he was in.

Sitting back in her chair, Poppy thought, 'What he really needs is to feel safe and for him that is a room where he has control over the lock on the door.'

Moments later Molly walked into Harry's room with his trunk floating behind her. "Harry dear, I see you're awake. You must be feeling better," she said as she beamed at him.

Harry didn't respond other than to nod at her, though really he wasn't feeling better.

"I've brought your trunk so that you can put something else on besides those pajamas. Can't have you lying about like a man of leisure can we?" she said with a chuckle, trying her best to cheer him up. She then brought out a plate full of the mince pies that he likes so much. "Here you go, I'll bet you'd like something else in your stomach than those potions that you are forced to take all day long."

In truth Harry was delighted to see the plate of pies and started to take one, but stopped himself and looked down instead, not taking any.

Molly was confused for a moment and then said, "It's alright Harry, I'm sure Madame Pomfrey won't mind for you to have one."

Harry sadly shook his head no and muttered a weak "Thank you."

"It's alright dear, I'll leave the plate her for you and you can eat them whenever you like. Now I'll leave the room and you can go through your things and pick out something that you'd like to wear. It'll help you feel more like your old self again."

After she left the room, Harry went over to his trunk and began to look around in it. He pulled out some Muggle clothes that he had bought earlier that summer and put them on and left the pajamas in a chair in the corner and got back into bed. Every few seconds he looked over to the plate of mince pies and wanted one very much, but didn't dare touch one.

Molly went back to the nurse's office to give Harry some time to change his clothes and asked Madame Pomfrey, "How well has Harry been eating since he's been back?"

Poppy sighed and said, "It's been an ongoing battle at every meal to get him to eat. It's my theory that his captors would torture him whenever food was brought near him, probably with the Cruciatus curse, and now he simply doesn't want to eat anymore."

Molly's eyes became very wet with fear, anger and heartbreak. "Why would anyone want to do this to him? He's just a boy for Merlin's sake."

"I wish I understood also."

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Later in the afternoon, after Harry had asked Dobby to tell Madame Pomfrey he didn't want any more visitors again, he was visited by Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry was not happy to see Snape.

"Potter?" McGonagall asked gently, "How are you feeling today?" She wasn't sure what to ask, but felt the need to visit him. He wasn't her favorite student, but he did hold a special place in her heart.

Other than shrugging Harry didn't respond or even look at her in the eye.

"Potter, your head of house just asked you a question, don't you feel you owe her an answer?" sneered Snape in his greasy way.

Harry just stared coldly at the potions master and still refused to speak.

"Severus!" McGonagall snapped, "Harry has been through enough without you adding to it."

"You're coddling him too much; Potter is weak and needs to be toughened up." However, before anyone said anything else, Snape whipped out his wand and enchanted, "Legimens."

Once again Harry felt himself being mentally attacked and fought to keep up his mental barriers. Unfortunately, he was unprepared for this attack and Snape got a glimpse of something before Harry had his wand in his hand and sent a stinging hex at Snape.

"Well Severus," McGonagall said with a smirk, "Harry looks like he can fend you off even in his 'weak' condition."

Snape ignored the deputy Headmistress and demanded to know, "What did I just see Potter? Why are you afraid to eat?"

Harry again said nothing and rolled over in bed and pulled the covers up over his head.

"Potter! I asked you a question and you will answer me!" bellowed Snape and started to advance on the boy and a faint popping noise appeared in the room.

However, before Snape could get his third step completed he found himself being flung through the air, out the door and against the far wall of the infirmary.

"Dobby is wondering if you's is also needing help leaving Harry Potter's room?" the house elf asked McGonagall.

"No, I think I can manage it all on my own," she replied. Turning to the whimpering young man under the covers she added, "Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger would also like to see you. Do you think you're up to another visit today?"

Dobby answered for him, "Harry Potter is not wanting any visitors at all. You's is leaving him be," and began to push the transfiguration teacher out of the room.

After he had the door closed, Dobby ran over to Harry and taking a mince pie in hand, broke off a piece of it and fed it to him. Harry ate the pie gratefully and without complaint and kept on doing so as long as Dobby kept feeding pieces of them.

Out in the infirmary Poppy came up to the crumpled potions master and said, "I take it you tried something with Potter and found that Dobby is very protective of him."

"Yes Poppy, he did," said an amused McGonagall. However, she turned into a more business like manner and asked, "Severus what did you see in his mind?"

"Being in complete darkness, I'm not sure, but I got the impression that they used food and water and a torture device against him. If he tried to take it when offered, they beat and cursed him severely and starving him after," replied Snape. Then with a pointed look towards the school nurse he added, "They did other things to him as well, didn't they Madame Pomfrey?"

"That is none of your business Professor Snape!" she snapped and turned to return to her office.

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review


	4. Mistakes Are Made

**Chapter Four – Mistakes Are Made**

A short time after Snape and McGonagall were expelled from Harry's private room in the infirmary, they walked to Dumbledore's office. McGonagall was furious with the Potion's Master and he knew it, but at that moment didn't really care. "Headmaster," Snape said upon entering the office, "we need to talk about Potter."

"Yes, Albus, I quite agree, we need to talk quite a bit about Harry and about Severus' action towards him today," the transfiguration teacher said huffily.

Dumbledore looked up from the letter he was composing and asked, "What about Harry? Has he taken a turn for the worse?"

"That remains to be seen Albus. It seems our resident Death Eater took it upon himself to force his way into Harry's mind just now and Merlin only knows how he'll react to it later," McGonagall spat.

"Severus?"

"I think I saw a glimpse of what happened to your golden boy while he was missing," Snape said icily.

Both Dumbledore and McGonagall wanted to know what he had to say that could cause Harry to react in this manner. They both knew him to be a head strong and brave young man, but when he returned to them, he only wanted to be isolated from the rest of the world and refused to speak unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Severus, why don't you and Minerva have a seat and tell us all about what you've seen today."

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Harry is standing in a cold and wet room hidden in complete darkness. Not a drop of light ever enters this room that he knows about. He is standing there completely naked, with his ankles chained together and his arms stretch high above his head strapped to a metal bar suspended from the ceiling. Harry stands there covered in his own bodily waste and has no idea how long he has been in this room like this, days, weeks, months? He has no clue; all that he does know is that he is very hungry, exhausted and completely defenseless to anything anyone does to him in this torture chamber of a room. For the moment he is completely alone and he likes it best this way.

However, his solitude doesn't last for long, it never does. As Harry stirs in place, he hears the door to his cell open and the sounds of multiple people walking in. He has no idea how many there are, only one person ever speaks to him and every time he hears that voice, he just wants to vomit.

"Well, Potter, I see you still live. What a pity."

Harry doesn't reply, he learned some time ago the folly of that mistake. He just stands there and pretends that he is somewhere else or that he is completely alone. Yes alone, no one can hurt you when you are alone. However, this time the lack of a reply costs him just as much as saying something cutting to his captors.

"Crucio!"

The pain is unending. It seems to pour out of every spot on his body and all he can do I stand there and take it as best he can and hope his mind doesn't break under the waves of unending agony. Luckily for him it does stop, or is it luck after all? For after the pain ebbs, he hears the other incantation, the one that he hates above all others, one that Harry thinks should be made into an Unforgivable Curse as much as any of the other three. Now the torture really begins for him.

"Exoplasitus"

Before Harry can remember anything else, he bolts straight up in his bed and begins screaming like he was dying. He makes a sound that no one has ever heard before, a primal scream filled with pain and emotion and all the bad things his young mind has ever had to deal with.

Within moments both Poppy and Dobby were in his room, to see what Harry was screaming about.

"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, what is happening to you's?" cried the little elf.

Poppy immediately went to him and shook him enough to get his screaming to calm down. "Potter, you were dreaming," she says to him and he calms down a bit and gasps for air. However, Poppy notices that along with the screaming, there were no tears.

"I'm fine," he rasps and he notices that she is touching him and he wrenches himself out of her grasp.

"Fine or not, you're taking a calming potion and then a dreamless sleep potion and going back to sleep, you still need your rest," she says to him and then goes to fetch the proper potions.

"Harry Potter? Was you's remembering the bad wizards again?" Dobby asked quietly.

Harry gave a slight nod, but said nothing.

"Don't you's be worrying Harry Potter, those's bad wizards not getting you again," Dobby said comfortingly and pats Harry's hand gently.

In the main infirmary ward, as Poppy went to get the potions for her patient, she was met by several of the teachers who had also heard Harry screaming and came to investigate.

Minerva McGonagall was standing there in her tartan dressing gown looking to the school nurse and asked, "Poppy, how is he?" She knew what Snape had told her and the Headmaster earlier in the day must be true, but she had not shared it with anyone else in the castle. However, it didn't stop her from being terribly worried about him.

The school nurse put her hand on McGonagall's arm and said to the rest of the staff that showed up, "Everyone, you can go back to bed, he just had a nightmare, that's all."

The other teachers began to leave the infirmary and they heard Argus Filch say, "That must have been one hell of a nightmare for us all to hear it in our bedchambers."

Poppy then went to her office and began to prepare the potions for Harry to take. McGonagall followed her in and asked, "Well, Poppy, what's wrong, why did he scream like that?"

"I was afraid this might happen to him, he's not ready to deal with this yet. I told Albus that but he wouldn't listen to me. After what Severus did to him, I'm surprised that he lasted this long before he began to relive his memories. I think he might have just made Potter's recovery that much worse," Poppy said waspishly.

McGonagall was furious with herself and said, "I was very angry with both Albus and Severus when I found out what they had done. When Albus couldn't get anywhere with Harry, he sent Severus down to find out what had happened to him. I should have seen it coming and done something to prevent it."

Poppy looked at her stern friend sympathetically and said, "It's not your fault Minerva, you know that he does as he pleases and the rest of us be damned." However, the nurse paused for a moment, thinking about something and then asked, "What did Snape find out from him?"

Uncertainty filled McGonagall's eyes, but she swallowed and then told the nurse everything Severus had told her in the Headmaster's office.

Poppy nodded and said, "I hope Albus realizes that what Severus found out is only the cork on the bottle and not the whole thing. Physical evidence told me more than that. I know that Potter can survive almost anything thrown at him, I've been the one to heal him after he's done all those stupid things, but everyone has limits and he may have gone past them this time." Then she picked up the two vials of potion and returned to Harry's room to administer them to the boy.

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The next morning Dumbledore called an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix in order to inform them about what had been discovered about Harry the previous evening.

"Albus is it wise to tell everyone about Harry's condition? I don't think he'll react well to it being known to so many people, especially since he hasn't even met over half of them," McGonagall asked.

"I understand that you want to protect him Minerva, but they need to know how extensive his injuries are."

"They need to know this? How in the name of Merlin, it is possible that they all need to know **_THAT_** Albus?" she asked hotly.

"We all need to know how to best protect him Minerva, he'll need us to do that for him," Dumbledore replied sagely.

Now Minerva's backbone was getting up and she bellowed, "It seems to me Albus that we failed him miserably and now he's paid the price for it!" Then she stormed off to join the other members of the order in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

Dumbledore sighed and followed her in a few moments later. As he strode through the room looking thoughtfully at all the members present, Dumbledore took his place the head of the table and began the meeting. "Everyone, as you may have learned by now, Harry has been found and he is currently at the infirmary of Hogwarts under the strict care of Madame Pomfrey."

Many of the members sighed with relief about Harry.

"However," Dumbledore continued, "there have been complications to his recovery that many of you are unaware of."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat audibly and gave the Headmaster a look that clearly said, 'Don't you dare.'

However, Dumbledore continued on despite her last warning, "My friends I must be the bearer of the gravest news concerning our young Harry…"

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Sometime later as Harry was sitting in his room reading a book and finishing up some last minute summer work that he missed doing due to his abduction, he heard a pop in the infirmary. Dobby, who was cleaning up after Harry, rushed out in the ward to see who popped in.

Harry leaned over to get a better look out of the doorway and saw Dobby talking to another house elf and heard him say, "Is's you's sure you's is hearing right?"

The other house elf nodded and said, "Corky's is hearings things right. I's is hearing just as I's is saying to you's."

Dobby looked sad for a moment and nodded understandingly and Corky popped away. Slowly the house elf walked back into Harry's room and began to clean again.

"Dobby?" Harry asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Dobby is not wanting to say Harry Potter. Dobby is thinking you's is being upset and Dobby isn't wanting you's to being upset Harry Potter."

Harry became worried for a moment and asked fearfully, "Are the bad wizards coming back?"

Dobby's eyes grew large and said forcefully, "No's Harry Potter, those bad wizards is not touching Harry Potter ever again."

Harry was relieved and then asked, "Is it Voldemort?"

Dobby winced at the name and said, "No Harry Potter, it is not being He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Then what is it Dobby?" Harry asked again.

"Corky is just coming from a meeting with the old crowd, Harry Potter. They is having a meeting today and they is discussing you."

"Me? What about me?"

"I's is sure he has's a good reason Harry Potter, you's should not be getting you's all upset now."

"Dobby, are you talking about Professor Dumbledore?"

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Minutes later Harry bolted from his private room and headed straight to the bathroom and began to fill the tub from the different colored taps with hot water and soap. Dobby came after him screaming "Harry Potter, Harry Potter."

Harry practically ripped his clothes off of him and dived into the water where he began to scrub his skin hard with anything he could get his hands on.

"Harry Potter you's must stop, you's is hurting you's self," Dobby pleaded with him. It was true, Harry had begun to scrub himself so hard he had raw places on his arms and torso and a few of them began to bleed form the rough scouring he was giving himself. Every time Dobby would take a washcloth or brush away from Harry, he'd find another and begin again. Finally Dobby popped away to get help.

"Madame Pomfrey, you's is coming now, Harry Potter is needing you he is," Dobby began to plead with her as soon as he popped into her office.

Fearful, the school nurse asked, "What happened?" as Dobby pulled her out from behind her desk and towards the bathroom.

"Harry Potter is washing hisself to hard and he's is bleeding."

Then Poppy began to run to the bath and flung open the door, "Potter, what are you doing to yourself?"

Harry sat in the water and scrubbed still harder and said weakly, "He told them, he told them." Then Harry suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked at her coldly. Accusingly he said to her, "You promised you wouldn't tell him, you promised!"

"I haven't told anyone anything, what are you talking about?" Poppy demanded to know.

"Dumbledore told everyone what happened to me. You must have told him, who else knew?" Harry pleaded and began to scrub his raw skin again.

Quietly Poppy said, "Severus Snape." Again Harry stopped; he knew Snape must have seen it when he invaded his mind.

Harry looked down and was ashamed. "Sorry," he said quietly to the nurse.

"It's quite alright Potter. How did you find out?"

"Doesn't matter, he shouldn't have told. He betrayed me again and I will never speak to him again for it."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review


	5. Reactions

**Chapter Five – Reactions**

Somehow Poppy and Dobby managed to get Harry out the bathtub and she began to heal his new wounds and put him back into bed with a fresh pair of pajamas on. She had also instructed Dobby to not leave him for a moment until she could bring in some more calming potions and dreamless sleep potions.

Returning to her patient quickly, Poppy gave him the potions and he took them obediently, though she suspected he wanted desperately to return to the bathtub to finish what he had started. However, Harry soon calmed down and fell off to sleep.

"Madame Poppy?" asked Dobby with a trembling lip, "What is we's doing for Harry Potter now?"

"First we wait until he wakes up tomorrow and see how is feeling, that's the more important thing. In the mean time, I'm going to have a very stern lecture to prepare for when Albus and Severus return to the castle tonight," said Poppy as she went back to her office to prepare more potions for Harry.

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Back at Grimmauld Place, after the meeting had ended, several of the members of the Order were still milling around the kitchen. They were all shocked and upset about the news concerning Harry. Molly Weasley was sitting in the corner of the kitchen crying her eyes out into her handkerchief while her husband Arthur was bent down and patting her on the back, trying to console her.

"How could they do that do him?" she sobbed, "He's just a boy."

"I don't know Molly, m'luv, I just don't know," Arthur said defeated.

Remus, who was still ashen white from the news said, "Are we certain that what Snape saw was accurate? I mean if Dumbledore couldn't reach Harry through Legimency, then what makes us think that Harry allowed Snape to see the truth? Maybe he misdirected him to a false memory."

"No, Remus, I'm afraid it's true," Minerva McGonagall said with a sigh. "Poppy confirmed most of what Albus told us last night when Harry woke the whole castle up with his screaming. I spoke with her myself and she is livid with Severus for doing it."

"Well, she should be!" shouted Molly, "Severus had absolutely no right to do what he did to Harry. Now having to relive it over and over again, it's unthinkable. No wonder he flinched away from me the other day when I brought him his school trunk."

Suddenly a thought occurred to McGonagall, "Molly, I know this is going to be hard for you, but you can't tell your children about Harry's predicament."

Molly sniffed and said, "Of course, I won't tell them, Minerva. They would never be able to understand anything like this. They are far too young."

McGonagall gave Molly a skeptical look; it had been her experience that young people are far more intelligent than parents gave them credit for. However, she continued with her thought, "Not for that reason Molly. I meant that if they know, they'll try and talk to Harry about it and right now, he doesn't need that. He needs to be a regular seventeen year old again. He needs to be playing Quidditch, going to classes, doing homework, complaining that I'm too strict to them."

"Do you think that is possible Minerva?" Remus asked. "Considering what he has been through and from what's been reported to us, I can't really see him leaving that private room anytime soon."

"Well, we have several advantages," McGonagall explained, "He doesn't know that we know yet. He may want to try and forget it happened and blend back into the student body. Harry is a survivor; he will do what he has to do to survive."

"When is Dumbledore going to send him to St. Mungo's?" Tonks asked, speaking up for the first time since she heard the news. Everyone else looked to McGonagall for the answer to this, they all knew Harry needed professional help at this point.

"He's not."

"WHAT?" bellowed most of the people in the room.

"Albus doesn't want to trust anyone outside of the order to help Harry in case they are working with those who abducted him," McGonagall replied curtly, revealing her dissatisfaction with the Headmaster's ideas.

"Minerva, Harry needs to be healed, not shut away and for us to hope he just gets over this on his own," Molly said. "What is that man thinking?"

At this point Bill Weasley interjected, "Is there anyone in the order with experience in these matters who can help Harry?"

Alastor Moody answered, "Not that I know of, unless Albus has someone in mind that he hasn't told us about."

"I hope he has," Molly said quietly and the room fell silent again.

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"Ron, we have to do something, they won't let us see Harry and I am going crazy with not knowing anything," said Hermione.

"I know, I know," he replied, "but what are we suppose to do? They only thing we know is what Fred and George told us. They found him and he stayed with them a couple of days and he was taken to Hogwarts. Then McGonagall tells us he can't have visitors right now because he is still to sick."

Ginny huffed, "Sick? More like beaten and tortured, I'd say." Then she began to pace the room huffily.

"So what are we going to do?" Hermione asked again. "We have to see him."

"Well, there's nothing you can do," said Fred, "However, you'll be returning to Hogwarts the day after tomorrow. Then, when you get there, you can storm the infirmary and demand to see him."

George then said, "If nothing else, maybe you can get Dobby on your side, it seems that he is now in the habit of expelling Dumbledore and Snape from Harry's room when they bother him to much."

"Cool," Ron said in awe. "Maybe we can get to see Snape being tossed out."

The twins laughed, "Well, tosses may be a bit of an understatement. From what we've heard, thrown may be more accurate."

Ron, Ginny and Hermione all laughed at the thought and then went back to worrying about Harry.

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Later in the afternoon, Albus Dumbledore once again enters the Hogwarts infirmary intent on speaking with young Harry Potter. However, he didn't get too far before he was stopped by a very angry school nurse.

"Good afternoon Poppy," he said with twinkling eyes.

"I can only hope my afternoon is better than my morning was," she replied to him waspishly.

Dumbledore became somber and asked, "Did something happen to Harry?" worry written on his face.

"You could say that Albus. He had a reaction this morning and ran into the bath to scrub him self clean. He scrubbed himself so hard that he actually ripped skin off of his arms."

Looking grave, Dumbledore said, "Well, it's to be expected after what he was put through." Then he attempted to continue to Harry's door, but she stopped him once again.

Clucking her tongue in her mouth in irritation, Poppy corrected him, "Actually Albus, the reason he was scrubbing himself was not caused by what his abductors put him through, but rather what you and Severus put him through."

"Poppy, I assure you that we only did what was needed to be done and it was for his own good."

"It was for his own good for you to tell the wizarding world about what happened to him? Is that what you are telling me Headmaster?"

Dumbledore sighed and said, "I only told a select few associates that needed to know so we can protect him better. There is no need for concern Poppy, Harry will not find out about what I have done until after he has been healed and then he may even thank me for it."

Looking thoroughly disgusted by what she just heard, she snapped back at him, "Albus, he already knows what you have done and that is why he was in the bath trying to clean away his guilt and humiliation. HE KNOWS ALBUS!"

"How?" asked the Headmaster in shock.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me how he knew, but he does. The point is, due to your actions, he may not trust anyone to help him now. If he thinks that everyone already knows what happened to him, he will have no one to trust to tell about this. Then he will feel all alone and may end up turning into his own mind to escape the horror of his reality."

"I must see him immediately Poppy."

"No, you can't. I had to give him a calming potion and two dreamless sleep potions this morning, just to get him off to sleep. He's going to be asleep for a while. Also, I don't think that Dobby will welcome either you or Severus near him in the immediate future."

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"Ah, Severus, come forward," hissed Voldemort to his follower who fell to the ground and crawled over to this master to kiss the hem of his robes. "What news do you have of young Mr. Potter?"

"He has been located and is in the Hogwarts infirmary under the ever watchful eye of Dumbledore," replied the greasy potions master from the ground.

Voldemort chucked, "Not as watchful as he likes to think, he lost the boy for almost a month."

"That is true my lord," said Snape, "but at Hogwarts he is under constant scrutiny."

"True. Does the old fool have any idea where the boy has been all this time?"

"No one does my lord, Potter is refusing to talk about it," replied Snape once again from the vicinity of Voldemort's feet.

"Understandable," said the dark wizard as he motioned for Snape to stand up once more. "After having seen the visions of what he went through, it doesn't surprise me at all." Voldemort paused for a moment and then asked his servant, "What does the old fool plan to do for Potter?"

"All that he has revealed to me, master, is that he is planning on keeping the boy at Hogwarts to be healed there. Beyond that, he has revealed nothing to anyone."

Voldemort did not look pleased with that and asked, "Who does Dumbledore suspect took Potter?"

"Other than you, my lord, he has no idea."

"Ever the fool then," Snape heard Voldemort mutter.

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Sometime later that evening, Harry finally wakes up from his dreamless sleep. At first he is groggy and unsure of what's going on around him. However, the bliss of forgetfulness is soon forgotten as reality rushes back to him and he sags back into this bed, wanting to go back to sleep.

Unknown to Harry, but the school nurse is aware that he is awake and sends Dobby into his room with a tray of something to eat. Poppy knew full well that he would never accept food from her, but she was hoping he might from the house elf.

"Harry Potter, it is time you's is eating," chimed Dobby happily that Harry was feeling better after his bath.

"Thanks, Dobby, but I'm not hungry," Harry says quietly.

Dobby rounded on Harry and said, "Yes, you's is hungry Harry Potter. You's is going to be eating this good food and you's is getting stronger."

Harry gave a glare to the house elf, whose lower lip began to tremble. Harry sighed and gave in and began to pick at the food on the tray. Then Dobby took a seat beside him on the bed and began to cut the food and group into much smaller portions that Harry began to take from the plate and eat.

Dobby beamed at him, "Just you's wait Harry Potter, soon you's friends be back in school. They's is being so happy to see Harry Potter."

Harry stiffened at the idea of it. He would be so happy to see them again, but thought, 'Do they know my secrets. Had Dumbledore told them as well?' Harry remained scared for a moment and thought, 'Will they still want to be my friends? Do I even deserve to have friends anymore?'

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Some time later as the teaching staff was sitting in a meeting about the upcoming school year in the teacher's lounge, they were surprised to see Harry's snowy white owl, Hedwig, fly in with a letter for Dumbledore.

Dumbledore took the letter from Hedwig and as he went to stroke her, she jumped back from the Headmaster. Clearly she was taking sides. As she spied him opening the letter she took flight and on her way out of the window she flew low enough to leave a scratch from one of her talons on Snape's forehead. Clearly she was taking sides and she was not happy about it.

As Professor Sprout was mending Professor Snape's face, Dumbledore began to read the letter. With a much happier look on his face, he asked Professor McGonagall take over the meeting and began to rush out of the room.

"Albus?" McGonagall asked, "Where are you going?"

"It seems Mr. Potter wishes to have a word with me Minerva. I think he may be ready to talk about his abduction." Then he was gone.

McGonagall frowned at his retreating back and said, "I highly doubt it Albus, I highly doubt it."

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A few minutes later Dumbledore entered the infirmary to find Madame Pomfrey waiting on him. "Albus, I do not want you upsetting him again."

"Not to worry this time Poppy, he sent me a note wanting to talk to me," said Dumbledore with his eyes sparkling behind his half moon glasses.

"Albus, I know he sent for you," she said with a sigh, "just don't get your hopes up." Then she patted him on the arm and went into her office. Albus then noticed that Harry was standing at the far end of the infirmary looking out of a window with Dobby and Hedwig nearby.

Hedwig screeched at him as he walked by and Dobby looked at him suspiciously.

"Harry, did you want to talk to me?"

Harry continued to stare out of the window and said rather coldly, "Yes, Headmaster, I did want to discuss something with you."

"Well," he said jovially ignoring Harry's coldness as a protection he created in order to talk about his ordeal, "are you ready to talk about your abduction?"

"Not exactly. I had a couple of questions for you first."

"Of course Harry, what would you like to know?"

"Have you told anyone about what happened to me? I mean the parts of it that you know about officially."

"Of course not Harry, I have not told anyone who didn't need to know about it."

"Who would that be?"

"The people you need to help you through this?"

Again Harry asked, "Who would that be?"

"Not too many. Now Harry I really think we need to get to the importance of this conversation…"

"I quite agree," Harry said cutting him off in mid-sentence. "You are a liar and a betrayer!"

"Harry…"

"You told the entire Order of the Phoenix something that was NOT any of their business to know without even discussing it with me. You have just now lied about doing it and you sent that greasy git of a teacher down here to play with my mind like it was a toy to him. I want nothing more to do with you again! That goes for Snape as well."

"Harry, you must really think about this and not act rashly."

"Harry Potter is telling you he is not wanting you bothering him again. You's is leaving now," Dobby informed the Headmaster.

Dumbledore sighed sadly and began to leave when he heard Harry say one last thing.

"Dobby is in my employ now and will be with me at all times from now on, including classes."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review


	6. The Final Year Begins

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Six: The Final Year Begins  
  
A couple of days later, Harry stood in the infirmary looking out of the window at the hundreds of students returning to the school. As much as Harry liked the idea of blending in with the student body, he also hated the idea of being surrounded by that many people. He truly just wanted to be left all alone.  
  
"Well, Hedwig," Harry said to his faithful pet, "looks like this is where things get interesting for me."  
  
Hedwig hooted back to him, trying to comfort him tonight.  
  
Harry watched as the students disembarked from their carriages and they rushed into the Great Hall before the sorting was to begin. Among the students returning to school Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville were frantically searching for Harry among the other returning students.  
  
"Where could he be?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Probably in the infirmary," Neville answered, "I bet he isn't well enough to come down yet."  
  
"From what Ron and Ginny's parents said, he should be over his physical injuries by now," Hermione said, still scanning for her friend.  
  
Neville put a hand on her shoulder and sadly said, "So were my parents shortly after their attack and you've seen how they are years later." Hogwarts may have witnessed Neville begin his career as a clumsy and forgetful boy, but it will see him leave an insightful and courageous young man.  
  
"He wouldn't want to miss the sorting would he?" asked Ginny.  
  
Ron sighed, "He's missed it before, both in second and third years he was forced to miss the sorting. It wouldn't surprise me that he would miss this one also."  
  
"Well, we might as well have a seat and maybe he'll show up," said Hermione resigned.   
  
- - - - -  
  
When the feast is over with, the Gryffindors approached Dumbledore about Harry. Luna however, did not see them approach the Headmaster and went up to Ravenclaw Tower.  
  
"Sir," Hermione began, "we would like to know about Harry." Ron, Ginny and Neville were standing behind her looking hopeful for an answer.  
  
Dumbledore twinkled at them merrily and said, "Wouldn't we all, Miss Granger, wouldn't we all."  
  
"Er, yes sir, we would. He wasn't at the feast tonight and we were wondering how he was."  
  
"Yes," he said sadly, "I know he didn't come down. Why don't you all go up to the infirmary and if you can get past Madame Pomphrey and Dobby, maybe you can see him tonight. Sadly, however, beyond that I know nothing about Harry anymore."  
  
"Why not sir?"  
  
"It seems that Harry needs more time to heal after his ordeal and he wants to be left alone while he does it," replied the Headmaster.  
  
Ginny looked worried and asked, "Do you think we shouldn't bother him then?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, "No, no, I think he would be delighted to see his friends once again."  
  
"Won't we end up being out after curfew?" Neville asked nervously.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes began to twinkle once more and said, "Then it's a good thing you have the new Head Girl with you." Everyone grinned as Hermione beamed at the Headmaster.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Later on the foursome arrive at the infirmary, but find only the school nurse there, who looks at them sternly and says, "I've been expecting you. Potter is in one of the private rooms over there." Poppy pointed to the correct door for them to enter and continued, "If he'll see you that is."  
  
The four exchanged worried looks with one another and then Hermione marched herself over to the correct door and knocked on it. "Harry? Are you in there? It's me, Hermione. Ron, Ginny and Neville are here with me."  
  
They received no answer.  
  
Hermione decided she was not going to go through this again and bellowed, "HARRY JAMES POTTER! You open this damned door before I kick it in."  
  
Everyone looked at Hermione in awe, including Madame Pomphrey. Even in the room, Harry was impressed with her, but he was too afraid to open the door. 'Did they know?' Harry wondered. He hoped not.  
  
True to her word Hermione opened her school robes, rose up her foot and kicked the door. Of course, the door held and she ended up hopping around the infirmary while the other three laughed at her. Madame Pomphrey quickly came over to help her.  
  
"Harry, mate your missing this. She about broke her foot on the door." Ron said between laughs.  
  
After she calmed down Hermione shouted to the door, "I'm killing myself out here Harry, so open that door and let us in. We love you, you know?"  
  
Harry rested his head against the door. Deep down he wanted to fling the door open and welcome them in. Deep down he had wanted to go down to the welcoming feast. Deep down… he wanted it to be July again and not have lived through August at all.  
  
However, Harry sighed sadly, turned and walked over to the bed, sitting down it beside Dobby.  
  
"Harry Potter," he squeaked, "you's is letting them in? They's is missing Harry Potter they is."  
  
Harry tried to smile at his little friend, who patted his hand sympathetically. However, on the other side of the door, Neville took out his wand, pointed it at the door and performed the blasting curse. Moments later the door exploded and in came four very worried Gryffindors.  
  
- - - - -   
  
Meanwhile in the Headmaster's office, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape were having a private meeting concerning a very important topic.  
  
"Severus, are you sure you can do this?"  
  
"Of course, Headmaster, I have found I have a great deal of enjoyment from this type of work," Snape said with a smirk.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, "I am not allowing you to do this because you enjoy it, and in fact I would prefer not to have you do this at all. I wish we had the time to devout to doing this the right way, but we don't. So please don't be to over enthusiastic."  
  
Doing is best to hide his glee at the assignment, the Potions Master answered, "Of course."  
  
- - - - -   
  
"Harry!" the four yelled together and the girls went to hug him. Harry immediately stiffened at their touch and tried to back away, but they had him on both sides and he couldn't.  
  
"Harry Potter is not liking being touched!" Dobby yelled at them and went to shoo them back. "Harry Potter is having a terrible ordeal and is not liking touching anymore."  
  
Ginny and Hermione jumped back from the elf in surprise and all four looked shocked. Since when did Harry not liked to he hugged by girls?  
  
"It's okay Dobby," croaked Harry embarrassed. Hoping that his friends wouldn't think he was being a cry baby or anything like that.  
  
"So Harry," Neville began, "why didn't you come down to the feast tonight?"  
  
Harry looked down and sheepishly said, "I wasn't feeling up to it."  
  
"Whatever," Ron said, "You look like you could pull the wings off of a Hippogriff." This earned Ron a smile and a small chuckle from Harry. This, in turn made Dobby beam at the teenagers.  
  
Hermione was looking at the whole thing in her usual studious she had when solving a problem and asked, "So are you coming back to Gryffindor tower tonight?"  
  
"No," he said rather quickly and then said, "I'll be here for a little while longer, until I'm better."  
  
"Well, you're going to be missing all the fun in the common room tonight," Ron said cheerily and then leaned into Harry a bit, "I hear Seamus has a bottle of Firewhiskey, but don't tell Hermione."  
  
"I'm standing two feet away from you Ron," Hermione complained. "I'm not an idiot you know."  
  
Harry and Neville snickered at them as Ginny rolled her eyes. After a few more minutes in the infirmary, they convinced Harry to go to the common room and visit the others, even if he had to come back to the private room afterwards. So after Dobby repaired the door to the room, he began pulling Harry out of it along with the others.  
  
"Harry Potter is going to visit his friends and is having fun tonight," the elf demanded which caused the others to laugh.  
  
- - - - -   
  
A couple of hours later Harry and Dobby were walking back to the infirmary after having fun for the first time since Harry's birthday. There was a close call with Mrs. Norris, who after finding him out after curfew went to find Mr. Filch, but a quick confundus charm did the trick and they were able to escape from the cat.  
  
Upon entering the infirmary they discovered that Madame Pomphrey had already retired for the evening, so Harry and Dobby made their way to the private room. After having spent some time with his friends again, Harry had felt much better and began to feel guilty about the way he had treated the Headmaster.   
  
Harry sat down on the edge of his bed and thought, 'Dumbledore was only trying to help me after all. His heart was in the right place. He just went about it all wrong. I wonder if he is just as confused about all of this as I am?'  
  
While Dobby was bouncing around the room, getting it cleaned and up and getting his pajamas out for him to change into, Harry wrapped his arms around himself and began rocking back and forth chanting, "I can do this, I can get better."   
  
Dobby stopped what he was doing and to have a look at Harry and he knew that once again Harry had forgotten he was not alone again. However, this time the house elf knew that Madame Pomphrey was looking for a sign like this and would tell her all about it in the morning. 'Now is the time to be putting Harry Potter to bed.'  
  
- - - - -  
  
Later that night, as Dobby was sleeping in the little elf bed Harry had conjured for him. Actually the bed Harry had made didn't stay around for very long and Dobby recreated it himself, because Harry had wanted to give him something. Dobby loved it just the same, knowing no matter who made it, it came from Harry's heart.  
  
However, Dobby was awoken by another house elf named Jibby. "Dobby?' Jibby whispered, "Is you'd waking up Dobby?"  
  
Dobby opened his eyes and replied to Jibby, "Yes, Dobby is waking up. What is Jibby needing?"  
  
"Jibby is doing what Dobby is asking him, but Jibby is thinking is not right to tell master's secrets."  
  
"Is secrets Jibby knowing going to be hurting Harry Potter?"  
  
Jibby looked reluctant to answer and said, "Well…"  
  
"Dobby is needing to know, so Dobby can be protecting Harry Potter."  
  
Jibby looked reluctant to tell, but then looking over at the Boy-Who-Lived, began to tell Dobby all about the conversation that took place in Dumbledore's office earlier in the evening.  
  
- - - - -  
  
The next morning Dobby woke Harry up and sent him into the shower to get ready for his morning classes, while Dobby brought his breakfast to him. This morning Harry was not scrubbing himself clean like he had in earlier episodes, but this time, he was simply getting ready for a new day. As Harry stood under the shower head shampooing his hair, he began to give himself a good talking to.  
  
"Okay, Harry," he said to himself, "You can do this. Just walk up to him and tell him your sorry for being so rude to him the other day. That you weren't yourself and that he was right, I didn't think it through. I was just reacting to the pain." Then as Harry began to wash the soap from his hair, he thought, 'I need to tell someone eventually, I need to tell someone, but I am so afraid to do it.'  
  
While Harry was in the shower, Dobby took the opportunity to inform the school nurse what he observed the night before. Dobby had been right, she was pleased that he was finally making progress, if only tiny steps in that direction.  
  
When Harry emerged from the bathroom, he found his breakfast already laid out for him. "Dobby is wondering if Harry Potter is wanting his breakfast here or to go down to the Great Hall and eating with his friends?"  
  
Harry smiled at the elf and said, "Since you've already gotten her for me, I think I'll eat with you this morning."  
  
"Harry Potter is eating all this food by hisself, Dobby is not eating with Harry Potter. Harry Potter is great wizard and he isn't eating with elves."  
  
Harry look a stern look at Dobby and said, "Harry Potter is eating with Dobby or else Harry Potter isn't eating at all."  
  
Dobby started to argue with his master, but Harry picked the elf up and placed him in the vacant chair beside his own and placed a plate in front of him. Giving up, Harry and Dobby had breakfast together.  
  
After breakfast was over with, Harry gathered up his books and things and took out the schedule McGonagall had given him the afternoon before everyone returned to the castle, in case he felt like going to classes when they began.  
  
On their way out of the infirmary, Harry stopped by Poppy's office and said, "Dobby and I are going to class this morning." To which she nodded understandingly.  
  
"Now don't overdue on your first day Potter," she said sagely.  
  
Sheepishly he said, "I won't," and turned to leave for class when he stopped. Harry turned back and instead of saying anything to her, he laid his hand on her left arm. He looked down and then ran out of the room and on to class.  
  
Poppy clutched her chest happily and said under her breath, "Thank you Merlin!"  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Benjis VIP: Harry isn't so much breaking a rule as he is making sure Dumbledore knows that he is taking some control back in his life. Mostly away from Dumbledore. Harry still has a very long way to go on this journey. 


	7. Potions

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Seven: Potions  
  
The morning of September 2nd, the Gryffindors were looking around to see if Harry was going to join them for breakfast. When he didn't show up, Hermione became a bit worried.  
  
"Oh lighten up, Hermione, you know how Pomfrey is. She always makes everyone eat breakfast before leaving the hospital wing. She seems to think that we'll forget or something," Ron said to her with a mouth full of bacon.  
  
"You know something Ron?" Ginny asked, "You are THE most disgusting person to have a meal with."  
  
"Thanks," replied Ron as Professor McGonagall started to come by with their new course schedules.  
  
Hermione took hers and asked, "Professor, if you like I can give Harry his schedule."  
  
"No need Ms. Granger, I gave him his yesterday before everyone arrived to the feast," she replied and added, "Hopefully, he'll feel up to going to class this morning."   
  
However, Hermione being as observant as she is, saw something in McGonagall's eye and knew her suspicions from last night had some validity to them and quickly decided on a course of action. So when the transfiguration teacher then began to move along to the other students in her house, when Hermione stood up, took the schedules from her and handed them to Ginny. "Ginny, would you please hand these out for the professor?"  
  
McGonagall was so stunned by her favorite pupil that she didn't respond immediately and Hermione took advantage of it and pulled the elderly witch into a corner for a private conversation. "I'm sorry about that professor, but I need to confirm something with you concerning Harry."  
  
Ron, Ginny and Neville looked at each other with wide eyes; Hermione had never done anything like that before. However, Ginny have half the stack of remaining schedules to Neville and together they began to pass them out as Ron continued to eat and kept looking in the corner where the two stood talking.  
  
A few minutes later Ron watches as Hermione dissolves into a fit of tears. McGonagall herself is looking close to it as well. In an uncharacteristic event, Ron abandons his meal and rushes to her.  
  
"Hermione? Are you alright?"  
  
With tears streaming down her face she nods that she is, but she doesn't look it in Ron's opinion. He looks over to their head of house and watched as she composed her self once more. Then she said, "Ms. Granger, remember what I said, you mustn't tell anyone." Hermione nods again, as if promising to do so.  
  
Moments later Neville joins them with their book bags and they follow Professor McGonagall out into the hall where they meet up with Harry and Dobby.  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Potter, I see you feel up to going to classes this morning."  
  
Harry smiled sheepishly at his head of house and said, "Yeah, I thought I'd try it."  
  
"Well, don't over do it," she told him kindly and started to walk up to her classroom.  
  
"Professor?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes Potter?"  
  
"Can you do me a small favor?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well, you'll probably see Professor Dumbledore before I will, so can you tell him that I would like to talk to him and…" Harry looked to see if his friends were listening, which they were, but he finished anyway, "and apologize for being so rude to him the other day."  
  
McGonagall's eyes were bright for a moment and she sad to him, "You have nothing to apologize for, but I will tell him. It won't be until after first period is over, but I suspect, you'll be busy until then."  
  
"Thanks." Then Harry turned to his three friends and together they went down to the dungeons to their first potions class of the term with Dobby in tow.  
  
McGonagall stood there and watched them go and thought to herself, 'Maybe you can get through this after all.'  
  
- - - - -  
  
As the four teenagers made their way down to the dungeons they talked to each other happily, which made Harry feel more like his old self again. This simple thing relieved Harry more than he realized that he was actually able to be happy again.  
  
Taking their seats in the back of the potions dungeon, all of the students started to take out their supplies and summer homework assigned to them by Professor Snape at the end of last year. While the students busied themselves Dobby made himself scarce, but was still close enough to keep an eye on Harry.  
  
As the bell rang announcing the beginning of the first class, the classroom door slammed shut and the potion's master marched in with his robes billowing out behind him. Professor Snape went up to his desk and began to talk to the class.  
  
"I want your pathetic excuses for summer homework to be brought up my desk. I want your essays placed in the tray to the right and your bottles of potion that you brewed this summer to the left. They had all better be clearly labeled or else anyone who fails to do so, will face a very excrutiating punishment indeed," snarled the greasy professor.  
  
Everyone began to move around the room, to do as they were ordered.  
  
"Harry, let me have your potion and I'll take it with him, while you take our essays," suggested Ron.  
  
"I don't have a potion, I didn't get it done," Harry said lamely.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione began to scold, but caught herself, "sorry, old habits die hard." Then she took off with all the potions and essays leaving the boys to stare at her.  
  
"There are days I swear she is mental!" complained Ron about the Head Girl.  
  
After all the essays and potions were turned in Professor Snape began to count them. "We seem to be short one potion," he said oily to the class. "Who failed to do their summer work?"  
  
Reluctantly, Harry raised his hand to respond.  
  
Snape seemed to smile as he smirked at Harry, "Once again, Potter, you seem to always be the outstanding figure in these events. However, as I promised, you will now have to deal with the punishment of not turning in your homework."  
  
"I have a very good reason for it, sir, and you know it all too well," Harry calmly replied.  
  
"I do not care about your excuses Potter!" spat Snape. "Now get up and come to the front of the class, so you can be punished."  
  
Harry didn't want to leave his seat and Hermione was sending worried looks in his direction. After being glared at by Snape, Harry did as he was told and walked up to the front of the class. Snape sneered at him and conjured a gleaming silver bar suspended from the ceiling.  
  
"You are to stand perfectly still and hold on the bar with both hands above your head until I tell you otherwise," said Snape, causing several in the room, Slytherins included, to ponder what this was about.  
  
Panic immediately seized Harry. 'No, not again, not again,' he chanted in his head as he stared at the bar.  
  
"What are you waiting for Potter?" snarled Snape gleefully, "Get over there and do it." Snape then went to shove Harry in the direction of the bar when he was suddenly bent over when Harry's fist collided with his stomach almost causing him to expel whatever it was he had for breakfast. The two toppled over with Harry on top of the potions master and he grabbed Snape by the collar of his robes and began to pound his fist into Snape's face as Harry began to scream.  
  
Immediately all of the students reacted to what they had just witnessed. The first to respond was Draco Malfoy and his Slytherin cronies.  
  
"Potter? What are you thinking?" demanded Malfoy as he drew his wand on Harry. However, before the blonde could do anything, he found himself being flung across the room and being firmly attached to the wall.  
  
"You's is leaving Harry Potter be," bellowed a very angry house elf.  
  
In the mean time both Ron and Neville were trying to get Harry off of their professor, but he was flailing his arms too madly between hits and kept screaming, "You won't do it to me again, you won't do it to me again." Neither boy understood what he was talking about, but Hermione sat there and watched as tears once again began to fall down her face.  
  
Finally Harry stopped hitting Snape, jumped to his feet and bolted from the dungeons altogether, with Dobby chasing after him. "Harry Potter, Harry Potter, where is you'd going?"  
  
Harry didn't answer, he just began to run, which was a strain on him. Though he had been healed by the school nurse physically, he had yet to take any real exercise and he hadn't worked his legs like this since before his birthday. However, it didn't matter, as he didn't get too far, before colliding with someone that held him tightly.  
  
"Harry? You've got to listen to me Harry. I need you to tell me what happened to you while they had you," came the insistent voice of Albus Dumbledore who held onto the Gryffindor tightly.  
  
Harry didn't respond at all, he just looked past the Headmaster with a distant look of panic and the need to bathe screaming in his head. He tried to remove himself from the elder wizard's clutches, but found most of his strength was used on the potions master and he had very little left to fend off anyone else.  
  
"Harry?" Dumbledore asks again and realizes that Harry is once again slipping into shock. Dumbledore never realized how much Harry would react to the metal bar and for the first time begins to wonder if maybe Harry was affected more than he suspected by his ordeal.  
  
Suddenly Dumbledore was brought out of his thoughts by Dobby demanded, "You'd is letting Harry Potter go now you's is!"  
  
"Dobby, I'm only trying to help Harry."  
  
Now Dobby was angry with the wizard and bellowed, "NO YOU'S ISN'T. DOBBY KNOWS'S ALL ABOUT YOU'S SECRET MEETING DOBBY DOES! HOW YOU'S IS PLOTTING AGAINST HARRY POTTER, DOBBY IS KNOWING ALL ABOUT THAT HE DOES!"  
  
Dumbledore paled a bit, "I'm sure I do not know what you are talking about Dobby."  
  
"Yes's you's do. Now you's is letting Harry Potter go so Dobby can be taking him back to his room," said the elf with his hand pointed at the Headmaster, ready to shoot off a spell or two in his direction.  
  
"Yes, Professor, I think that would be an excellent idea," said the controlled voice of Neville Longbottom.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Longbottom, perhaps you should return to your class," advised Dumbledore.  
  
Neville thought about it, but said, "I could, but I was on my way to fetch Madame Pomphrey."  
  
"Poppy? Why? Are you injured?"  
  
"No, sir, I'm fine, but Professor Snape may need her services after what happened," said Neville with a grin.  
  
"Professor Snape is getting what is coming to him for doing what he did to Harry Potter." Then before anyone could say anything else, Dobby snapped his fingers and Harry Potter was broken away from Dumbledore and Dobby floated him up the stairs and to the infirmary leaving the Headmaster and Neville behind.  
  
"Perhaps I should get up down to the dungeons and see about Professor Snape. If you could be so kind as to fetch Poppy for me Mr. Longbottom, I would appreciate it."  
  
"I'll tell her sir, but I suspect she's going to be busy when I get there," Neville said a little harshly, started up the stairs himself. "Oh, sir?" Neville asked causing the Headmaster to turn back. "Is what Dobby said true?"  
  
Dumbledore never answered the question, but sent Neville on his way as he descended down into the dungeons.  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Professor, professor!" Hermione yelled as she ran into the transfiguration class room.  
  
McGonagall looked at the teenagers in the doorway and was about to deduct house points before she realized that Hermione very rarely caused outbursts of this nature.  
  
"Ms. Granger what is it? Is something wrong?"  
  
However, it was Ron who answered as Hermione was trying to catch her breath after running all they had run all the way up from the dungeons. "It's Harry; Snape did something to him and he…"  
  
"He what?" she asked with worry in her eyes.  
  
Hermione regained her composure and said, "Harry hit Professor Snape, after he did something to Harry."  
  
"Alright now, tell me everything from the beginning."  
  
- - - - -  
  
When Madame Pomfrey arrived in the dungeons, she found most of the students had already left, Professor Snape laying on the floor, holding his nose and Draco Malfoy stuck fast to the wall.   
  
"What happened?" she asked after surveying the damage to Severus' nose.  
  
"Potter did this," Malfoy spat, "He should be expelled, he's a bloody menace to society."  
  
"That'll be enough from you Mr. Malfoy, now hold still or least I remove your skin from the bone instead from the wall," admonished the Headmaster.  
  
Poppy was about to begin to give Severus a pain potion before she started working on his broken nose when she saw the silver metal bar hanging from the ceiling and asked, "Would Potter's backslide have something to do with that bar hanging there?"   
  
Snape growled, "Potter's doings are his own problem."  
  
Very angry at his for making Harry's recovery even harder, she put the potion back into her bag and grabbed his nose ands jerked it back into position causing the potion master to howl in pain.  
  
"Sorry about that Severus forgot to give you the pain potion, but I guess that's your problem," she replied curtly before performing the healing charm.  
  
Moments later Professor McGonagall came racing into the room and saw Poppy tending to a growling Snape and Dumbledore still trying to remove Malfoy from the wall.  
  
"Severus, tell me you didn't do what I think you did," said a very stern McGonagall.  
  
"Oh, he did it Minerva and he managed to knock Potter's recovery back by weeks if not months," Poppy retorted to her friend.   
  
The stern deputy Headmistress took a deep breath and moved her focus from the damaged head of Slytherin House to the one person in the world who should have known better to do this to begin with. "For Merlin's sake Albus, what were you thinking?"  
  
"Minerva, now is not the time, we need to tend to Severus and young Mr. Malfoy here."  
  
She sighed and said, "Get one of the house elves to deal with Mr. Malfoy, Dobby stuck him there and only elf magic will unstuck him. Poppy is dealing with Severus at the moment, so that gives us some time to have that discussion."  
  
Just then the house elf Jibby popped in and took over from the Headmaster, as he was led away and into the corridor by an angry Minerva McGonagall.  
  
"Albus what were you thinking?" she demanded.  
  
"I was doing what had to be done to snap him out of this condition Harry finds himself in. I was hoping that seeing the bar in the classroom would help him overcome the effects of his imprisonment. I never expected him to react the way he did, nor would I have planned for it."  
  
"Well, your plan hasn't done him a world of good now has it Albus. Also if you had waited just a few hours, he was planning on apologizing to you for the way he treated you the other day and Poppy told me that he is trying to touch people now and let himself be touched. A marked improvement wouldn't you say?" she barked at him. "However, I have no doubt in my mind that all his progress has now been scrapped and he is back to the beginning."  
  
Albus Dumbledore stood there sadly not knowing what to say.  
  
- - - - -  
  
While everyone was away from the infirmary, Dobby had been tending to Harry's needs, which were few as all he was doing was sitting in the corner afraid. However, Harry abruptly stood up and walked into the bathroom.  
  
"Harry Potter?" Dobby squeaked.  
  
Harry didn't reply, he just walked over to the sink and looked into the mirror. "Is this who I am now?" he asked his reflection. Harry got no answer.  
  
Taking his wand out, Harry conjured a knife for himself. He had imagined a dagger, but what he ended up with was a Muggle carpet knife. An old fashioned one with a wooden handle and a sharp curved blade.  
  
"Well, I guess this will do," he said looking at the knife in his hand.  
  
Harry slowly brought the curved blade up to his throat and placed it just under his left ear. He felt the tiny prick as the blade broke his skin and then with a deep sigh, he pulled the blade across his neck.  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
Benjis VIP, Thanks for the compliment! As for whether Harry is going to like Dumbledore's plan with Snape, I don't really think he will. No not at all!  
  
Fangalla, Yes it will set Harry back and you're right, I bet you have no idea what happened to Harry, well at least not all of the extent of it anyway.  
  
WinterBliss, I am never tired of reading feedback, both good and bad.  
  
Separatrix, You'll see where this leads in time.  
  
Uten, Snape will be getting a punishment, of sorts. :)  
  
Genevieve, I is hoping you's is still liking my story, as DObby would say. 


	8. The Waiting Game

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Eight: The Waiting Game  
  
Dobby paced back and forth in front of the door. He was more worried at this moment than he had ever been before in his life. "Harry Potter is coming out's of there safe he is," the elf kept saying to himself.  
  
"Madame Poppy?" squeaked Dobby as the door suddenly opened and Madame Pomfrey exited the room carrying a tray of empty potion bottles in something of a hurry. The school nurse ignored the house elf and retrieved more healing supplies and returned to the private room occupied by a seriously damaged Harry Potter.  
  
After the better part of an hour past, Madame Pomfrey once again emerged from Harry's private room.  
  
"Madame Poppy?" squeaked Dobby again, "Is Harry Potter being better now?"  
  
"He's unconscious at the moment, but he'd be far worse if you hadn't prevented him from dying like you did. We are all grateful to you," replied the school nurse wearily.  
  
"Dobby is always being there for Harry Potter."  
  
She smiled at him and went over to her other patient, Professor Severus Snape. As she walked across the infirmary to him, Dobby was glaring hatefully at the potions master.  
  
"Well, Severus, I see that you are healing rather nicely. As soon as I'm sure that those potions I gave you have taken effect, you may return to your quarters," said a very tired nurse. However, on her way back to her office she turned back to the potions master and said, "Oh, yes, Severus, if you ever do anything like this to one of my patients again, I will do something to you to horrid, that you'd only be able to imagine it in your worst nightmares."  
  
The potions master said nothing as he was now itching to leave the infirmary as soon as possible, especially with a very angry house elf glaring at him from across the room.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Outside of the infirmary, several of the Gryffindors, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were pacing waiting for answers. Most obvious was if Harry was still alive or not. Neville was nervously watching the door, afraid to take his eyes away from it, Ron and Hermione were taking turns pacing around in the corridor, both were furious with Snape and McGonagall was glaring at the Headmaster for his part of this fiasco.  
  
Finally Hermione stamped her foot into the floor in frustration, "What is taking so long, it feels like hours."  
  
McGonagall silently agreed with the Head Girl, but said nothing. She was fearful for the young man she had come to cherish. He was not her favorite student, but he was close and he was Lily's son. Lily had always held a special place in the transfiguration teacher's heart.  
  
Moments later Severus Snape came out of the infirmary, rather forcefully if truth be known and landed on his backside just outside the doors. Before the doors closed once again, they all heard the house elf saying, "And you's is staying out!"  
  
As Dumbledore bent over to help the potions master to his feet, he chuckled and said, "I see you're making friends everywhere you go."  
  
Snape scowled at Dumbledore, but said nothing to him. As much as Snape loathed Harry Potter, actually all members of the Potter family, he truly never wanted to see the boy kill himself. As Severus looked at his employer, he felt very guilty about what he had done, but never once allowed anyone to see it in his face.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey is finished with him, she says he'll live," Snape said to the crowd, much to everyone's relief.  
  
"I don't understand why he did it, I mean holding on to that bar thing would have been boring, but to react that way," Ron said, completely unaware of what the bar represented.  
  
Hermione, however, had a vague idea about what that bar meant and with an air of accusation said, "Ron, it must have been part of the torture Harry went through this summer when he was captured and I think Professor Snape knew it as well."  
  
Snape was about to deduct house points from her, when McGonagall said, "What an astute observation Ms. Granger, ten points to Gryffindor."  
  
Snape scowled harder and turned and walked away from the infirmary, with his robes billowing.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Unknown to any of the others, but around the corner stood Draco Malfoy. He was listening intently to the entire conversation between the others.   
  
'Potter tried to kill himself?' thought a stunned Malfoy. Normally he would have been elated to know something bad had happened to the golden boy of Gryffindor, but he never wanted his death.  
  
'I need to write to father and get some answers,' and he then slunk back down to the dungeons.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Sometime that afternoon, Remus Lupin arrived at the castle, he had been on a mission in northern England when he heard about the incident in the potions dungeons and had rushed to be at Harry's side. Remus had felt that he had never filled Sirius' shoes after his death and now felt he should make an effort for Harry.   
  
Also arriving to the castle was Professor Rubeus Hagrid. Hagrid had been in France since the beginning of summer on a mission for the Order and not been able to return to Hogwarts until after the school year started but had heard of Harry disappearance a month before.   
  
As the two men entered the main entrance of the castle they dropped whatever it was they were carrying and raced up to the infirmary to see Harry. However, when they reached the doors to the hospital wing, the two were stopped.  
  
"What's you's two doing here?" asked Dobby.  
  
Remus and Hagrid were both taken back by the elf and Remus said, "We're here to see Harry. He's been injured and we want to see him."  
  
"Harry Potter is seeing no one he is," Dobby stated without argument.  
  
"Now see here elf," growled Hagrid, "Harry's been injured and we want to see him."  
  
However, Dobby was no mood to be ordered about and promptly demonstrated it with a snap of his fingers. Moments later, the normally imposing figure of Hagrid found himself bouncing in place on his back side and unable to stop himself.  
  
"You's is not bothering Harry Potter!" Dobby said firmly and closed the doors in their faces.  
  
Remus pulled out his wand and attempted to aid the half giant, but was rather unsuccessful.  
  
"I'm sorry Hagrid, but whatever he did, I can't seem to undo."  
  
"Better move out of the way Lupin, 'cause I'm about to be sick!"  
  
- - - - -  
  
Down in the Room of Requirement, Hermione had used Harry's master coin and summoned all the members of the D. A. Most of them had already heard about the episode in the potions laboratory and wanted to know what had happened since.  
  
Hermione, Ron and Neville stood at the front of the group where Harry normally stood when teaching them everything they needed to know about Defense Against the Dark Arts and waited for everyone to arrive.  
  
"Where's Potter?" demanded Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff House.  
  
Hermione, with a very determined face looked over the crowd and said, "Harry is in the hospital wing and needs our help."  
  
With these words said everyone became restless and wanted to know more. After some prompting from several members of the group, the trio told a modified version of events to them.  
  
"You mean Potter really sucker punched Snape in the stomach?"  
  
Neville grinned and said, "Yeah, it was great." This caused Ron to snicker in appreciation.  
  
However, Hermione didn't find the humor in it. "Everyone, please, what Harry did or didn't do in the potions lab is not as important as the fact that something terrible happened to him over the summer and he was forced to relive it this morning. Because of that he needs our help."  
  
"What can we do?" asked Justin Finch-Fletchley, "I mean we aren't qualified to help him medically."  
  
"No we're not," admitted Hermione, "but what we are capable of is protecting him from those who would make his recovery far worse than it has to be in order to find out what happened to him over the summer."  
  
"What do you propose?" Zacharias Smith asked.  
  
For the first time since before breakfast Hermione smiled and said, "This is what I have in mind…"  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Minerva, may I have a word with you?"  
  
The transfiguration teacher looked up from her essays on the desk in her office and replied, "Of course Remus, what can I do for you?"  
  
"I need to find out what happened to Harry and I need to see him," replied a desperate werewolf.  
  
McGonagall visibly sighed and indicated for Lupin to take a seat. "I'm terribly worried about him also. He seemed to be getting better until the unfortunate incident in the dungeons this morning."  
  
Lupin's jaw clenched and he asked, "Yes, what did happen in the dungeons this morning?"  
  
She eyed his warily and told him the story of what happened in class.  
  
"Bastard!" exclaimed Lupin, "Sirius was right about him all along. How could he do such a thing? I'll kill him as should have done when we were still in school!" Then Lupin jumped out of his chair to find Severus Snape.  
  
"Wait Remus, there is more."  
  
"More? What more could there possibly be?" snarled a livid werewolf.  
  
"Severus was acting under Albus' orders," said the stern witch through tight lips, obviously furious herself.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Sit back down Remus, it's been a very long day and it is far from over."  
  
Lupin complied with her request and listened to her and together they began to devise a plan to teach the Headmaster a lesson.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Across the English country side in an unknown location Bellatrix LeStrange was helping Voldemort up from the floor where he had collapsed earlier that morning.  
  
"My lord, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine Bella," hissed Voldemort, "but I suspect the damned fool old man has attempted to extract what information lies in Potter's mind about his abduction."  
  
"What should we do about it master?"  
  
"Nothing right now, I must talk to Severus Snape."  
  
- - - - -  
  
Back in the Hogwarts dungeons, Severus Snape is sitting in his office beside the potions classroom when his arm suddenly burns from the dark mark. He was being summoned by Voldemort. Quickly he put his things in order and sealed the entrance of his office.  
  
"Has you's been summoned by You-Know-Who?" Dobby asked.  
  
Snape snapped his head around to see the house elf looking at him menacingly. "Yes and I have no time to speak with you right now. Don't you have someone to protect?"  
  
"Harry Potter is being in the safest of hands. Is you's being that safe?"  
  
Snape looked coldly at he elf, but inside he was slightly nervous. "I must be going now, he is waiting for me."  
  
"Dobby is knowing that, Dobby is having a message for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."  
  
Snape looked oddly at Dobby, who smirked back at the potions master and then snapped his fingers.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Sometime later that evening Professor McGonagall and Remus Lupin entered the office of the Headmaster, to have a talk with him about his actions that morning.  
  
"Ah, Remus, Minerva, what can I do for you this evening?"  
  
"Actually Albus, Minerva and I have been talking and she was kind enough to explain to me why Harry is in the infirmary on the edge of death," Lupin said calmly.  
  
Dumbledore looked guilty and said, "Remus, I had no idea how Harry would react to the stimulace Severus provided this morning."  
  
"Yes, she told me that also," Lupin replied.  
  
Dumbledore looked mildly confused for a moment, but Lupin continued.  
  
"Because of what you did to Harry, I have decided to punish you for this."  
  
Professor McGonagall then spoke up, "So we've arranged something that you will hopefully remember for some time to come."  
  
Moments later, Molly Weasley barged into the room at full rage after both Professor McGonagall and Remus told her what he had done to Harry.  
  
"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
Fangalla, sorry about being predictable here, but I needed a catalyst for the next chap.  
  
Benjis VIP, if I killed Harry of in Chapter 7, it would be much shorter story. :)  
  
WinterBliss, sorry about the OOCness of last chapter. I've always seen it as Harry is Dobby's hero and what would anyone do for their hero? As for the past/present tense thing, sorry again. I didn't catch it when I went through it the second time.  
  
SeparatriX, well, the carpet knife I was thinking of is the one my grandmother's brother had before he died. He's been dead since 77 and the thing is still the sharpest knife I've ever seen.  
  
Bluetattingman, no this is not where the story ends.  
  
Clutchy, Harry did try to commit suicide, but he is alive. 


	9. Aftermath

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Nine: Aftermath  
  
Harry stirs in his bed, he is very groggy and his head hurts. His scar is burning like a brand on his forehead and he is very confused. Within moments the burning sensation leaves him and he becomes more clearheaded, but there was no vision of Voldemort with the burning, at least not one he can remember. Harry tried to sit up in bed, but finds he cannot; his head hurts so badly it wouldn't let him. So he settles back down again.  
  
After a few minutes resting Harry begins to remember. He remembers being in the potions dungeon and later in the bathroom and for a moment he is ashamed of himself. Harry immediately grabs his throat only to find that the damage has been healed completely, but then wonders, 'Why am I still alive?'  
  
As if on cue, the door to his private room opens and in walks Madame Pomfrey. "Oh good, you're awake. I was beginning to wonder how long it would take you to join us again."  
  
"What happened?" he rasps through a dry throat.  
  
"That damned fool potions master thought that if you were shocked enough, it would cajole you into being more co-operative into talking about you experience this summer," Poppy said disapprovingly. Then with a small smile on her face, she said, "You may want to avoid him for awhile, he's still not happy about you breaking his nose."  
  
Harry rubbed his throat and said, "I meant…"  
  
"Oh, you mean your suicide attempt? Really Potter, you should know that no one dies in my infirmary without my permission."  
  
Harry gave her a look and she continued, "Dobby found you moments after you cut yourself and placed you in magical stasis until I could get back here to heal you. He's been frantic ever since."  
  
Harry looked down feeling guilty, "I didn't mean to scare him."  
  
Poppy sat down on the bed beside him and tried to touch Harry, but he flinched away from her touch. He looked sheepish after he realized what he had down, but still wouldn't allow himself to be touched. Not yet anyway.  
  
"How long was I asleep?" Harry asks trying to change the subject.  
  
Poppy begins to perform monitoring spells on him as she answers him, "You've been asleep for about three days. Well you seem have healed nicely, though you may have a slight scar there for some time, but it should fade away in a few weeks."  
  
"I'm surprised Dumbledore isn't here," Harry said, "he's usually here whenever I awake up after doing something stupid."  
  
Poppy laughed quietly, "Oh, he's tried, but he can't get through the line."  
  
"The line? What line?"  
  
"It would seem that quite a few students, under the leadership of Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom, have formed a cocoon around my infirmary and won't let anyone pass, even the Headmaster," explained the nurse.  
  
Harry stared up at the ceiling, "Why would they do that?"  
  
Poppy gave her patient a withering glance and said, "I wouldn't know, maybe they think you're worth it."  
  
"I'm not," he said very quietly.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Dumbledore stood there, once again attempting to gain entry to the infirmary, but was once again being haulted in his endeavor by what has been labeled the 'line.'   
  
"Ms. Granger," he sighed, "surely you must understand what is at stake here. I must be allowed to talk to Harry. It is vitally important."  
  
However, Hermione stood her ground. "I mean you no disrespect Professor; however, you did plot with Professor Snape against Harry, and as a result he… did what he did and almost succeeded. As a result, we the members of the D.A. have decided to not allow anyone near him who is not going to do their best to help him heal."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes, Ms. Granger, and members of my own army…"  
  
"That Harry formed, trained and leads. If it wasn't for him over half of us would have failed our O.W.L.'s in Defense Against the Dark Arts two years ago and you know it well. No one gets past until he says so and since he is not yet awake, you'll just have to wait." Then Hermione stamped her foot to make sure he knew she meant business.  
  
"Ms. Granger, Harry is awake. He awoke a short time ago," Dumbledore said calmly.  
  
Hermione and several other members of the D.A. all wanted to rush in to see him, but held their ground.  
  
"Very well, Ms. Granger, I will leave for now, but I will be back," the Headmaster said and with a twinkle continued. "I know you too well; you'll soon hear the siren song from the library and I'll sneak past you yet."  
  
Hermione's cheeks burned crimson.  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter!" squeaked an excited Dobby, "you's is better now."  
  
"Hey Dobby, I was wondering where you were," Harry replied with a small half smile to his little friend.  
  
"Well… I's was down in the dungeons," admitted the house elf.  
  
Harry gave a shudder and asked, "Why?"  
  
"Professor Snape is not saying he is sorry for hurting Harry Potter and I's was telling that he should be."  
  
This brought a genuine smile to Harry's face, he could just imagine Dobby telling Snape off, which his hands on his hips just Mrs. Weasley does when she is mad and yelling at someone, usually the twins.  
  
"Dobby, can you do something for me?"  
  
"Anything Harry Potter," beamed the elf.  
  
"I would like to see my friends, but first I need to see Professor McGonagall."  
  
- - - - -  
  
Some time later Professor McGonagall entered the infirmary, after she managed to get passed the line.  
  
"Potter?" she asked, "You wanted to see me."  
  
Harry looked up at her and nodded. He was already regretting calling for her, but knew what needed to be done, and being a brave Gryffindor, he would do it.  
  
McGonagall sensed his discomfort and kept her distance so he wouldn't feel crowded and waited for him to tell her what was on his mind.  
  
"I wanted to speak to you about what happened in potions the other day," he said at last.  
  
"I want you to know I had nothing to do with that at all Potter and I am quite angry with Severus for using what he knew against you like that."  
  
Harry was a bit confused, but then he remembered what Snape had done before school began and let a long breath out. "Actually, I wanted to talk about that briefly. I want to drop potions class from my schedule."  
  
"Potter… Harry, I must remind you that you need potions in order to become an Auror," she began but was cut off when he turned to her.  
  
"The Aurors are not going to take me like this anyway! Not after what's happened to me," he screamed. However, he managed to calm himself, he wasn't angry with her after all. Quietly Harry said, "It doesn't matter anymore and I will not return to his classroom or be anywhere near him again."  
  
"I don't blame you for that, I suppose. What are you going to take in its place?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "Nothing, I guess. It doesn't matter anyway, the fewer classes I have right now the better. I'm having a hard enough time concentrating as it is."  
  
"I'll see to it if you're sure about this," McGonagall said.  
  
"I am."  
  
"Well then, I'll leave you to your friends. They're out in the corridor waiting to see you," said his head of house and as she turned to leave him he asked her to stay a moment longer.  
  
"Professor, please, I need to ask something else."  
  
"Yes, Potter, what is it that you need?" she curiously asked.  
  
"Can you arrange for Tonks to come visit me and can you ask Dumbledore to if I may borrow his pensive?"  
  
McGonagall was slightly stunned, why would he want a pensive.  
  
"I'll contact Tonks right away for you and I'll ask Albus about the pensive. Do you mind if I ask why you want to use it?"  
  
Harry sighed, this conversation was taking more out of him than he anticipated, but he answered her just the same. "Dumbledore once said that sometimes his head gets so full of memories that he can't keep them all in and a pensive helps sort them all out." Then he turned away from her and stared out of the window as he collected himself and willed himself to not shed a tear. He would not cry.  
  
"I'll see to it then," she said and once again started to go out of the infirmary. "I'll also give you five minutes before I send in the others." Then she was gone.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Draco Malfoy was sitting at his usual place at the Slytherin table having his breakfast while watching the Gryffindor table with interest, or rather watching a large vacant area of the Gryffindor table that is. Ever since the episode in the dungeons on the first day of term, large chunks of Gryffindor, not to mention smaller chunks of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, could be found forming the now infamous 'line' that surrounded the hospital wing.  
  
He sat there thinking. 'How am I ever going to get past that lot without anyone seeing me?'  
  
Just then the owls arrived with the morning mail. In fact a particularly fowl looking eagle owl landed in front of Draco Malfoy and stuck out it's leg waiting to be relieved of it's burden, which the blond took greedily. He knew what it was; it was the reply from his father.  
  
Draco,  
  
I received your letter about the subject in question and though he was not with any of my associates in the time period you mentioned, I do know that he was staying with others, who were not very hospitable to him.  
  
Beyond this, I have absolutely no information on the subject at all and neither does anyone else we know, who would be very pleased if anything was found out about it.  
  
Find out what you can about it and forward it all to me.  
  
Regards,  
  
Your father  
  
Draco read the letter twice and decided that his father was being truthful about not knowing, for once in his life that is. He didn't belittle nor was insulting at all in this letter.  
  
'He must want to get on the Dark Lord's good side on this one,' thought Draco. 'Well you great git, you're just going to have to do without, no matter what I discover.'  
  
Then he returned to eating his breakfast and began to formulate a plan to get into the infirmary.  
  
- - - - -  
  
A short time later as Harry was sitting on his bed, he heard a knocking at the door to his private room. He looks over at Dobby, who smiles and him and hops over to the door to open it. There on the other side are his friends, who have been waiting to see him for three days.  
  
"Harry," Hermione yells as she makes her way into the room. Normally she would have hugged him, but knowing what she does, she restrains herself.   
  
"Hey mate," called Ron to his best friend, "We've missed you this week. You know it's not fair that we have all this homework and you get to sleep the week away." Ron smiled at his best friend trying to get him to smile also. Harry did his best to make one for Ron, but it was only half hearted at best.  
  
"Don't pick on Harry, Ron; it's not his fault you're failing all your classes already."  
  
"I'm not failing anything Ginny, except maybe Defense," Ron pouted.  
  
"Why are you doing so badly in Defense?" asked Harry. "It's one of your better subjects."  
  
Neville spoke up this time, "We have another new teacher and this one is dreadful. I think we need to start the D.A. back up again."  
  
"Toft is an idiot," added Ron, "He's worse than Lockhart, and that's saying something."  
  
Harry knew well that Gilderoy Lockhart was the worst teacher of Defense they had ever had. Saying this new one was worse was saying something indeed. However, Harry gave his friends a confused look and they immediately went into detail about how class went with the new teacher.  
  
Harry knew they were right, this man sounded like a complete idiot. Suddenly Harry's mind began to fill with ideas for the D. A., what to teach and how to teach it. For the first time, in a very long time, Harry felt like he used to and he liked it. Also without realizing it, Harry smiled.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Later that evening, Harry sat alone in his room in the infirmary reading a book about Defense techniques when a knock came to his door. For a moment he sat there on his bed frozen, not with fear, but with expectation. 'Who could that be?' he thought.  
  
Moments later, the door opened and in walked Professor McGonagall. "I'm sorry to disturb you Potter, but Dobby said it would alright to bring this to you now." In her hands was Dumbledore's pensive.  
  
Taking it from her, Harry places it on the bed and says, "Thank you Professor, I appreciate the trouble you went through to get it for me."  
  
"It was no trouble, I simply explained to him that I was taking it and that would be that," she replied, which caused Harry to grin. Harry's grin pleased her more than she thought it would. "I also spoke with Tonks and she said she would be happy to come by and speak with you that day after tomorrow."  
  
"That should give me enough time to put my thoughts in order."  
  
"Harry, what are you planning? Why do you need Tonks to do it?" McGonagall asked.  
  
Harry looked sad for a moment as his eyes slowly became hollow and he said, "You don't want to know."  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Fangalla, Gecko & Darkened-Valentine, House Elves are intersesting creatures aren't they? 


	10. Pensieve

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Ten: The Pensieve  
  
Two days later, as Harry was sitting on the bed in the private room once again, with the pensive placed between his legs. He was swirling the cloudy substance inside with his wand watching it and studying it for something. To say that this took everything Harry had to do this would be a gross understatement.  
  
Harry was jarred out of his thoughts by a knock at the door, which Dobby answered for him. Entering his room was a woman with bright pink hair, lurid banana yellow robes and a violently purple hat. "Wotcher Harry."  
  
"Hello Tonks," Harry said wearily, "Thanks for coming."  
  
"I was happy to come and see you, though Remus and Hagrid are chomping at the bit to know why they can't come in and see you."  
  
Harry looked very guilty and said, "Sorry about that."  
  
"Don't worry about it Harry. Now what did you need to see me about?" she asked hoping beyond anything it wasn't to talk about what happened to him over the summer. She could and would do anything for him, but not that, she couldn't listen to that story no matter what.  
  
"I need a favor, something only you can do for me," began Harry who was looking more tired by the minute. "I wrote to Dumbledore yesterday and told him that if I put my … my experiences in this pensieve," Harry looked down, swallowed trying to find the strength to continue. "That is I told him if I did that, then he would have to stop bothering me about it. He agreed, but I need you to make sure he keeps his other promise to me in his reply."  
  
"I don't think I can make him do anything he doesn't want to do Harry. What can I…"  
  
"All I need you to do is assume my face, they way I looked before. Before my birthday that is. That way when he's finished seeing this, you can remind him of his promises and not go blabbing this to everyone, again." Then Harry looked up again and said, "Please."  
  
Tonks sighed and then clapped her hands together and said, "Alright then Harry, I've never impersonated you before, so lets get to work."  
  
"Minerva," Dumbledore said pleasantly as the deputy Headmistress entered the office, "What an unexpected delight."  
  
"Good morning Albus," she replied. "Are you ready for the meeting this morning?"  
  
"I believe so. After we find out what happened to Harry, then we can begin to help him get over this tragedy," the Headmaster said merrily.  
  
McGonagall sighed sadly, "Yes, we will see it won't we?"  
  
Back in the infirmary, Harry, Tonks, Poppy and Dobby were gathered near the nurse's office discussing the upcoming meeting.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey, you don't have to look at this if you don't want to, I would understand," Harry said.  
  
She looked at him and said, "Would you prefer it if I didn't?"  
  
"No, I trust you to see what's in here. I was just thinking of your comfort. It may be something you would prefer not to know about."  
  
She nodded encouragingly and placed a light touch to his shoulder. Harry flinched slightly but forced himself to stand there and take it. She removed it before it got to be too much for him. "Potter, I am a fully trained medi-witch, I can take a great deal of suffering and deal with it professionally. I assure you I will be able to handle this."  
  
Harry swallowed and turned to Tonks, "Are you ready?"  
  
She nodded and transformed into a remarkable likeness of Harry. "How do I look?"  
  
Harry smiled and Poppy looked at her disapprovingly. Dobby, however, was grinning madly.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"You's is looking like Harry Potter with boobies," squeaked the elf merrily.  
  
"Oh, yeah, forgot about those," she said laughingly and then transformed further and reducing her chest to a more masculine appearance. "Better?"  
  
Harry nodded and said, "The others are outside waiting to escort you to the Headmaster's office, so that you won't be harassed by anyone along the way." Then Harry started to hand the pensieve to Tonks, but remembered how clumsy she was with things and gave it to Dobby instead. Harry leaned in and said, "Remember Dobby, don't look inside this, it'll only give you nightmares."  
  
The house elf nodded and the three walked out of the infirmary as Harry returned to his private room.  
  
Outside the infirmary Madame Pomfrey, Tonks and Dobby met with several members of the D.A., which include Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna.  
  
"Harry?" Ginny asks.  
  
Tonks, who was in disguise as Harry looked at her and said, "Wotcher Gin."  
  
"Tonks?" Hermione asked and then it dawned on her. 'Harry wants everyone to think he isn't here,' she thinks, 'I wonder why?'  
  
The young Auror only smiles at the group before they move down the corridor towards the Headmaster's office.  
  
Unknown to the group, but they pass a concealed figure standing behind a suit of armor watching them closely. He almost follows them down the corridor when something occurs to him.  
  
'That's not Potter,' thought Draco Malfoy. 'The face is right, but the body language is all wrong, even in his current condition.'  
  
So the Slytherin stays in his hidden location waiting to see if any more members of the 'line' show up to take up guard duty of the infirmary. After a few minutes when no one arrives to take up the post, Malfoy makes his move and detaches himself from the shadows and moves towards the infirmary.  
  
As the group arrived at the stone gargoyle that concealed the entrance to the Headmaster's office, Hermione let the others who were escorting them return to reform the line at the infirmary, as she knew Harry was still there.   
  
"Alright everyone, I need you to go back to the infirmary and reform the line," Hermione said to the group.  
  
They all looked at her confused and Neville asked, "Why can't we can stay and wait here for Harry to finish with Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
Hermione wasn't sure how to answer, but Tonks saved her to quilt of betraying Harry's secret. "I'm not Harry, I'm an Auror disguised as Harry so that anyone who might want to take advantage would have a nasty surprise. He's still back in his private room; now go back before someone like Snape finds him first."  
  
The members of the D.A. looked shocked and then Neville and Ginny turned and led them all back to the infirmary in order to keep Harry safe. When they were gone Poppy turned her attention to the stone gargoyle and gave the password and then the much smaller group went up the spiral stairs to the office.  
  
"Potter?" asked Draco, "Where are you?" However, no reply came and so the Slytherin began to look around when he saw a light from under the door to one of the private rooms and went over to it and listened.   
  
Inside the room Harry was writing a letter and reading it aloud as he wrote. "I'm sorry things had to end this way, but by the time you've seen what I placed in that pensieve you'll understand why I can't go on anymore. Not like this anyway. I do not want to remember who I was because it hurts so much to know that's no longer who I am and what I can never be again. I do not want to think about whom I've become because that's not the person I want to be. Things will be better this way, after I'm gone."  
  
Draco was shocked by what he heard and thought to himself, 'Potter is going to kill himself. No, not now, not after all of this.' Then Draco raised his hand and knocked on the door.  
  
Inside his room Harry froze at the sound of the knocking. 'Who could that be?' Harry mentally asked himself. 'I sent everyone away so I could be alone to do this.'  
  
However, before Harry could do anything except hide his letter in a book, Draco entered the private room. "Don't you have enough manners to answer your own door Potter?" Draco drawled as if he were bored instead of what he was truly feeling.  
  
"Malfoy?" asked Harry, "What do you want?"  
  
"Why I've come to visit my favorite Gryffindor while he was recuperating in the hospital wing," he smirked and continued, "Is that a crime?"  
  
Harry sighed in disbelief and said, "With you Malfoy, anything is a crime."  
  
Then the Slytherin actually smiled and said, "True."  
  
Gently the group goes into the office of the Headmaster and Dobby sets the pensieve down on a table setup for his purpose. Poppy takes a seat next to Professor McGonagall and Tonks walks over to the fireplace stands there quietly. Ron and Hermione stand near the table as Dumbledore enters from another part of his office.  
  
"Harry?" the Headmaster asks.  
  
Tonks smiles, but says, "No, I'm Tonks. Harry didn't feel up to coming to this meeting and wanted me to do something for him in his place."  
  
Dumbledore nodded and then offered everyone a lemon drop. "What is it that you are to convey for him Nymphadora?" he said with a twinkle in his eye, knowing how much she hated to be called by her given name.  
  
Tonks fumed for a moment and said with conviction, "He wanted me to look like him so that you would be reminded to keep your promises."  
  
"Ah yes, he was quite insistent on that in his letter when he offered this," Dumbledore said.  
  
Dobby was watching them and spoke up; retelling the instructions Harry had asked him to tell. "Harry Potter is asking me to tell you's this. I's is to remind the Headmaster that he may not be speaking of anything he is seeing to anyone, or else Harry Potter is not trusting him again. Harry Potter is also saying that Madame Poppy may also be seeing it." Dobby then turned to the school nurse and the transfiguration teacher and continued, "He is telling me to tell you that you may only be telling Professor McGonagall about what you's is seeing and only if she is swearing to be keeping it secret."  
  
They both nodded in understanding.  
  
Dobby went on, "Harry Potter is also instructing Dobby and Missy Tonks to be standing here to be making sure no one else is seeing what is in there. Not even each other."  
  
"What about us?" Ron asked.  
  
"You's is leaving before anything else is be happening. Harry Potter is not wanting his Weazy and his Mione to be seeing his shame," replied the elf.  
  
"But…" Ron sputtered but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"NO Ron," she said, "Harry doesn't want us to know what happened. Honestly I don't think we do either. I don't think that we're old enough for this."  
  
"Hermione, we're off age, we can handle anything that concerns Harry," Ron said defiantly.  
  
"If what I think is in there, then I don't want to know and neither do you," Hermione said and grabbed his hand hoping he would give in.  
  
However, McGonagall took the initiative and said, "Alright, you two need to leave so that we can begin," and escorted them to the door. At the door, she paused and turned to Dobby and asked, "Dobby, am I to leave as well?"  
  
"Harry Potter is not saying one way or another about that, but he is saying that you is not to be seeing what is in there," Dobby said as he pointed to the pensieve. "If you's is promising Dobby that you's is not looking then you's can be staying."  
  
"What about Tonks?" Ron asked, "Does she get to see this?"  
  
"NO!" Tonks said without any room for discussion, "I do not want to know what's in there, so I'm not looking."  
  
So the two Gryffindors were escorted out of the office.  
  
As they were out of earshot of the adults, Hermione turned to Ron and said, "We need to get back to the infirmary quickly."  
  
"Yeah," Ron agreed, "Harry might need us."  
  
"Actually, I think Harry might be trying to kill himself. That would be the only thing left for him to do after this comes to light," Hermione said as she grabbed Ron's arm and they took off to the infirmary.  
  
Minutes later Ron and Hermione arrive at the infirmary where the other members of the D.A. were waiting and standing guard and looking rather shocked.  
  
"What happened?" Hermione asked breathlessly.  
  
Ginny just looked dumbstruck and Neville answered, "You're never going to believe it if we told you, so look for yourself." Ron and Hermione shot each other a concerned look and timidly they opened the doors to the infirmary and found Harry sitting at one of the tables, playing wizard's chess with Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What the…?" they both asked at the same time.  
  
"Well, now that everything is been taken care of, why don't we get started?" the Headmaster asked in preparation to enter the pensieve. "Poppy are you ready?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, the school nurse nods her head and together they enter the nightmare waiting for them in the pensieve.  
  
As the two appeared in the first memory Harry had decided to show them, they found themselves in the private room that Harry was currently occupying in the infirmary. As they approached him he began to speak.  
  
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey, what you are about to witness has been edited a little bit. I didn't think it was important for you to witness things that happened over and over again, so I am only showing you the things that I felt you would want or need to see. I hope that I haven't forgotten anything important, because putting these memories in here and then having to review them has been the hardest thing I have ever done. So I hope this all worth it, because I will never speak of any of this again to anyone, so don't ask."  
  
Then the image of Harry faded away and the room changed to become very dark and very cold. Then when their eyes adjusted to the difference in light, they saw Harry standing there naked with a pile of his clothes that had been ripped off of him to one side. His ankles were chained together and his arms were stretched out above his head strapped to a metal that was suspended from the ceiling and shivering in the dampness of the room. Then they heard the voice, a voice that would make Harry shudder if he had heard it today.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter, I see that you are awake. Now we can begin your education." Then the voice laughed at Harry as he was suddenly hit with the cruciatus curse. Harry's muscles contracted and he screamed out in pain. When the curse had ended the voice was laughing yet again and this time threw another curse at Harry, one that he had never heard of before.  
  
"Exoplasitus."  
  
This time Harry's reaction to this curse was vastly different to the earlier one. Instead of pain, he had to endure pleasure, pleasure that hurt almost as bad as the pain of the cruciatus curse. His body reacted to the pulsating pleasure that shot through his young body as his penis became so erect that it throbbed uncontrollably and ached from the action. Harry clenched his teeth to what his body was undergoing and did his best to fight against it.   
  
However, then the light dimmed again and the voice moved closer to Harry and though the Headmaster and the school nurse could no longer see what was happening, they did hear Harry scream, "Get your hands off of me! I won't let you put that inside me!"  
  
Then the word 'Exoplasitus' was repeated several more times in the darkness followed by Harry's demands not to be touched. However, after the fifth or sixth time the curse was used, the darkness was filled with Harry's voice screaming, "For the love of Merlin, fuck me! Fuck me!"  
  
Dumbledore's face paled and Poppy clutched her chest and whispered, "Oh Merlin!" and they continued to watch and listen as the raping curse was performed on Harry Potter.  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
I wanted to thank Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Fangalla, Jayla, Jennifer, Separatrix, Winterbliss and Wytil all for reviewing my story.  
  
Fangalla, would I do something that horrible to poor Harry?  
  
Bluetattingman, it's going to be a moot point.  
  
Wytil, that message won't come up again for awhile, but it will.  
  
Separatrix, sorry about that, my computer auto-corrected the word Pensieve to pensive. Draco will have a larger part...later.  
  
Benjis, I hope this was what you had hoped for. However, Tonks' part is going to be limited in my story. 


	11. Walking Through a Nightmare

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Eleven: Walking Through a Nightmare  
  
Remus Lupin was loitering outside of the Headmaster's office when he spied Ron and Hermione racing away towards the infirmary. He had almost followed them, but decided that whatever was going on up in the Headmaster's office was more important. Quickly the werewolf strode over the gargoyle and gave the password that allowed him entry to the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Lupin," Professor McGonagall asks when she sees him enter the office. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I need to speak with Dumbledore; I thought he would be here. Where is he?" Remus asked. However, he turns to see Tonks standing over by a bookshelf looking at the volumes on it. With a calculated effort he says, "Harry? Is that you?"  
  
Tonks turned around and replied, "No, it's me, Tonks."  
  
Remus nodded, though he already knew it wasn't Harry, and asked again, "Where is Dumbledore?"  
  
Without thinking about it Tonks says, "He's in the pensieve reviewing Harry's memories about his abduction with Madame Pompfrey."  
  
Once she had confirmed Remus' speculations, the werewolf using superhuman reflexes lunges for the pensieve and enters it along with the other two.  
  
Tonks and McGonagall move quickly to stop him, but they are too late to do anything about it.  
  
"Harry Potter is not going to be liking this a bit," Dobby said worriedly.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Meanwhile across the English countryside, a group of masked people wearing black robes were gathering in a large room and taking their assigned positions in the circle. However, of all the Death Eater assembled it was only Severus Snape that Voldemort really wanted to talk to.  
  
"Ah Severus, I see your back to normal again," Voldemort hissed in amusement. "Either you found the counter charm to the elf's magic or you've made up with it."  
  
"The spell wore off my lord," Severus said as he kissed the hem of his master's robes.  
  
"Stand Severus and take your place in the circle and tell me how our dear Mr. Potter is faring these days."  
  
"He has removed my class from his schedule and refuses to allow me to be near him again. He is barely speaking with the Headmaster and his fellow students have formed what has been called the 'line' around the infirmary to prevent anyone from entering. Anyone who does make it past the line then has to face the school nurse or worse, that damnable little elf in order to see him. He has not left the infirmary since that day in my classroom, though he was unconscious for most of the time."  
  
"Interesting Severus," hissed Voldemort again. "Is there any chance of getting around this line as you call it, some way to get to the boy?"  
  
"Even Dumbledore can't get passed the line, my lord," Snape replied.  
  
"Weak old fool, if he had the nerve he would just curse the whelps unto submission and take what he wanted. Is there anything else to report from Hogwarts?"  
  
"Yes my lord," Snape began. "Potter has taken a pensieve and has placed all his memories about his abduction into it for Dumbledore to see. Potter has told the Headmaster that in doing this he wants to be left alone. Potter doesn't want to talk about what happened to him to anyone. Dumbledore is hoping to find out who did this to his golden boy and punish them accordingly."  
  
"Is that possible?" Voldemort asked.  
  
"The boy was kept in near total darkness for three weeks, I doubt he ever say the faces of his torturers."  
  
"I know Severus, but I think he does know who held him captive."  
  
- - - - -  
  
"What are they doing?" Hermione asks Ron as he peers into the infirmary where Harry and Draco are sitting still playing wizard's chess.  
  
"They're playing chess and Malfoy is actually losing, or rather he is letting Harry win."  
  
"Malfoy is being nice to Harry?" Neville asked not believing his ears.  
  
"Yeah, he is. Can't figure out why either, but he is doing a brilliant job and making Harry think he's not doing it. If I hadn't been watching for the past twenty minutes I wouldn't have noticed it at all," said Ron. "I wonder if I could get him to play me sometime."  
  
"Ron!" Hermione said sternly, "Now is not the time to be thinking about chess."  
  
"What else have we to think about Hermione?" Ginny asked. "It's not like we have much to do. Malfoy is already in there and Harry seems to be okay with it. Dumbledore is in his office looking at the memories that Harry let him look at, which should end his constant quest to bother Harry. So unless you have a brilliant plan for us to put into motion about how to get Harry back into class, then I think we should let them be and go back to our common rooms."  
  
"Ginny," Hermione began, "We can't abandon Harry now, he might need us."  
  
"I know, but we all don't need to be here. So why don't we send everyone back to their dormitories and us four stay here and watch?" Ginny suggested.  
  
Hermione nodded, she knew her friend was correct.  
  
- - - - -  
  
As Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey were watching all the horrors that were held in the pensieve they were suddenly joined by another wizard falling in from the sky. When they looked at the man lying at their feet, they realized that it was Remus Lupin.  
  
"Lupin, what are you doing here?" scolded the school nurse.  
  
"I wanted to know why Harry won't see me," Remus stated plainly. "I wanted to know what it is that he feels he can't let us know about and I wanted to know who those sons of bitches were that did this to my Harry."  
  
"Your Harry?" Poppy snapped at him. "Well it seems to me that your only claim to him is that he was your best friends' son."  
  
Remus was about to retort when Dumbledore interrupted them, "It's a moot point now, he's here Poppy and the next memory is beginning."  
  
The three turned and watched as Harry was tortured as he was being fed. With every bite of much needed food came a new curse to torture him with. They watched as Harry was subjected to the cruciatus curse, the stinging hex to his genitals and slashing curse to his bare skin. Then after he had been once again conditioned to not dare to want to eat, they watched two of them hit him with combinations of the cruciatus and raping curses at once, pain and pleasure at the same time.  
  
Remus covered his mouth in absolute horror and whispered, "Oh Harry, what have they done to you?"  
  
- - - - -  
  
Harry moved his bishop across the board and said, "Check."  
  
Draco looked at his opponent and skillfully faked a scowl and said, "Damn."  
  
"I don't know why you're pretending, you've been letting me win," Harry said without looking up from the board.  
  
Draco was actually shocked, "I beg your pardon, Potter, I never let anyone win a game with me. In fact I always win, no matter what."  
  
"And yet you've been letting me win this game for over fifteen minutes now."  
  
Draco watched Harry curiously and said, "I thought you said you were rubbish at this game. That kind of observation would take a chess master to notice. That is if I were actually doing it."  
  
Harry sighed and said, "I said I was rubbish at playing with Ron, he's ten times better than I am. However, I didn't say I wasn't smart enough to notice what you were doing." Then Harry looked up at Draco and asked, "So why are you doing it?"  
  
"Lulling you into a false sense of security?"  
  
"Try again Malfoy."  
  
For a moment Draco sits there and thinks, 'I could tell him the truth, but I don't think he's ready for it. Nor do I think he would believe me if he were ready.' Then he thinks for another minute and then answers, "I was testing your ability, seeing if you would fall into my traps. To access your skill and see what your weaknesses are."  
  
"What if I only played the one game with you?"  
  
"Well then there is always Quidditch," drawled Draco lazily.  
  
Harry actually smiled.  
  
- - - - -  
  
In the Headmaster's office, as the two wizards and the medi-witch emerged from the pensieve the room was strangely silent. Professor McGonagall, Tonks and Dobby watched the three bewildered people.  
  
"Remus Lupin, what were you thinking? Harry will be very upset if he learns that you violated this arrangement. He doesn't want anyone to know what happened to him," Professor McGonagall lectured him sternly.  
  
However, the werewolf fell to his knees and crawled over to the trash bin and began to vomit into it and whimpered, "Oh Harry. How did you ever survive that?"  
  
Poppy sat down on the couch beside the pensieve and clutched his chest as she tried to remain calm. Professor McGonagall went to the school nurse and sat down beside her and took Poppy's hand into her own to give her friend some strength.  
  
Dumbledore, however, like he had aged thirty years since going into the pensieve. His eyes had lost their trademark twinkle and he looked very weak as he sat down at his desk chair and rested his head in his hands.  
  
"Professor?" Tonks asked as she went to the Headmaster. "Are you alright?"  
  
"No, I don't believe that I am, but thank you for asking Nymphadora," Dumbledore replied to her and as he looked up into her eyes, he flinched. "Do you think that you could please return to your normal face?"  
  
"Well, Harry made me promise that I wouldn't and that I was to remind you of your promises to him," Tonks said guiltily as she could tell that looking at Harry was hard for all three of them.  
  
"Poppy?" McGonagall asks, "What happened in there?"  
  
Shaking her head the nurse says, "I can't tell you Minerva."  
  
McGonagall didn't like it, but didn't want to pressure her, "I understand."  
  
"No, Minerva, that's not it. I respect you far too much to burden you with this knowledge," Poppy said to the transfiguration teacher with absolute horror in her eyes.  
  
Professor McGonagall had been afraid before, now she was terrified for Harry.  
  
After Remus had emptied his stomach into the trash bin, he sat on the floor crying. "What are… what are we going to… to do now? Ha… ha… Harry has no idea… no idea who did this to him."  
  
Dumbledore sighed and leaned back into his chair and said, "We need to tell the order about this."  
  
"No!" Dobby bellowed. "You's is promising Harry Potter, that you's is not telling this to anyone!"  
  
"You did promise him that Professor," added Tonks, who was still wearing Harry's face. "Harry did trust you enough to allow you to see this."  
  
Dumbledore looked wearily at the house elf. "Dobby, I'm going to tell them that Harry has no idea who did those things to him. However, these voices sounded vaguely familiar. Maybe if we showed that part of it to the others then maybe someone else will recognize it and we can bring his abusers to justice."  
  
"Harry Potter is not liking it if you's is telling anything," Dobby said as he grabbed the pensieve and popped out of the office and into Harry's private room.  
  
"Justice?" snapped Poppy as she rose from her seat and approached Dumbledore. "How will that help him find justice?"  
  
"Poppy, you must see reason," Dumbledore began. "This must come out in order for Harry to heal from this and not be broken. So he can reclaim who he is and find his strength to continue."  
  
"How can you say that after what you just saw?" she asked him incredibly.  
  
"It is what must be done," he replied simply.  
  
Then the school nurse pulled back her arm and slapped the Headmaster across his face. "I suggest that you do not come near my patient again for some time Albus. I will be telling Dobby and the students who maintain the line to keep you out at all costs." Then she turned on her heels and stormed out of the office to return to her infirmary.  
  
"Maybe you should rethink your plans, Albus," McGonagall said, before also taking her leave to follow the school nurse and possibly cajole her to tell a little about what she saw.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Later that night as Harry was sitting at one of the tables in the infirmary placing the memories back into his mind, he looked over to his loyal friend and asked, "Dobby is something wrong?"  
  
"No Harry Potter, Dobby is just cleaning you's room up nice and neat."  
  
Harry sighed, he had the feeling that he was not going to like this conversation at all. However, he pressed on as he had to know, "Yes, you are cleaning my things very nicely, but you are also worried about something. What happened?"  
  
"I is not thinking Harry Potter is going to be liking it at all."  
  
"That is something that I live with on a daily basis Dobby, so go ahead and tell me," Harry said resigned.  
  
"Remus Lupin is coming into the office today and is looking at the pensieve Harry Potter," Dobby said with a trembling lip.  
  
"Oh," Harry said as the words 'Well that wasn't as bad as I thought,' formed in his mind. Then he continued, "That's alright Dobby, he had to find out eventually. I couldn't keep not seeing him forever."  
  
"Dobby is not telling you everything yet, Harry Potter."  
  
Harry gulped as he returned the last memory that was left in the pensieve. "What else is there?" he asked timidly, hoping that his worst fear hadn't just happened.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore is wanting to tell the others and he is wanting them to listen to the voices. Dobby told him he isn't and took the pensieve away."  
  
"I see," Harry said in a quiet voice.  
  
"Harry Potter, Professor Dumbledore is thinking he is knowing one of the voices."  
  
"I'm sure he does Dobby, I'm sure he does," Harry said as he got up and went into his room and began to change into his pajamas and go to bed.  
  
"Harry Potter, it is still early for bedtime," Dobby said but received no answer. "Is Harry Potter going to class in the morning?"  
  
"I don't know yet," Harry replied as he settled into the bed and into his own thoughts.  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
A/N - Okay, in case I was confusing, the raping curse basically forces it's victim to be tortured so bad with pleasure that they scream for their abuser to have sex with them in order for it to end. Thats why its so horrible, becuase it leaves the victim feeling like they asked for what happened to them.  
  
I worked very hard on chapter ten's ending and to be honest didn't feel it did justice to the horrible feeling I was trying to impress upon you, my readers. So I ended up ending the last chapter the way I did. I'll explain more on the curse in future chapters.  
  
Again I want to thank Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Fangalla, Jennifer, Winterbliss for reviewing.   
  
Benjis, Dumbledore honestly thought he was helping Harry. He was wrong of course.  
  
Fangalla, yes you are correct, I did mention that curse before in Harry's nightmare. Yes Poppy and Dobby will be able to help Harry.  
  
Bluetattingman, no the pensieve was not for therapy. 


	12. Back to Class

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Twelve: Back to Class  
  
Early Monday morning Harry woke up in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Would he get out of bed and live or would he stay there forever and wallow in self pity? 'Never getting out of bed again wouldn't be that bad would it?' Harry thought to himself, before deciding that his bladder really wanted him to use the bathroom and couldn't stay in bed forever.  
  
Just then Harry heard a popping sound, "Harry Potter is you's getting out of bed today?"  
  
"Yeah, I think that I am Dobby," Harry said somewhere between resigned and defeated. Then he got out of bed, collected what he was going to wear that day and went off to the bathroom to get ready for the new day. After getting the relief he needed for is rather full bladder, Harry hopped into the shower. While standing under the spray of water Harry was suddenly wracked with memories that he wanted to not think about, but still they came to him.  
  
- - - FLASHBACK - - -  
  
Harry had been asleep when suddenly a harsh spray of freezing cold water hit him.  
  
"Wake up Potter!" said that voice that he hated so much, "Its time for another lesson for you."  
  
Harry braced himself waiting for the torture to begin once again. However, this time he wasn't hit with multiple curses. Instead this time he felt the hands as they began to caress his body. He felt the horror of knowing that his body began to respond to those hands against his will. He felt the unwanted tingle in his flesh to the touching and he felt so dirty.  
  
"What a good little boy you are, you've learned your lessons well so far. I didn't even have to hit you with the curse and your flesh is already willing to be taken isn't it?" the voice taunted him, as humiliation filled Harry's soul. Worse yet, Harry knew it was true, as he felt his traitorous organ stiffening at the touch.  
  
"However," the voice continued, "You've not finished with these lessons yet." Then the voice laughed at him and then he heard the one word that he hated above all others leave the lips of his captor.  
  
"Exoplasitus"  
  
- - - END OF FLASHBACK - - -  
  
Harry slid slowly down against the wall of the shower stall, pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself and he began to shiver coldly in the spray of the hot water.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Shortly before they would appear at the staff table for breakfast, both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape found themselves in front of the stone gargoyle that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Severus," she said curtly to the potions master.  
  
"Minerva," he replied formally before he gave the password and they went up the spiral staircase to the office where Dumbledore was.  
  
Dumbledore had been speaking with the portraits on the wall when they entered the office. He turned to them and said, "Ah, Severus, Minerva, welcome. What can I do for you this morning?"  
  
"While I have no idea why Severus is here, I was hoping to speak with you about your plan to tell the other members of the Order about what you saw in the pensieve yesterday," McGonagall said.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about that as well Albus," Snape said.  
  
"Yes, I image you both would," Dumbledore said as he took his seat behind his desk and then offered the two a "Lemon drop?" They both declined.  
  
"As you know Headmaster, I was with the Dark Lord yesterday and we had a very interesting conversation concerning Potter," Severus began. "He thinks Potter knows who held him hostage this summer."  
  
"Really?" asked a shocked Professor McGonagall. "Albus, did you recognize anyone from his memories?"  
  
"No, it was too dark at times to see who was there with him, though I suspect it was one person while at others several people were with him. However, I will admit, that the voice I heard was oddly familiar which is why I want the Order to hear the voice for themselves," Dumbledore answered.  
  
"That, however, may be a very bad idea," Snape said coldly. "The dark lord actually wants me to encourage you to do this. He wants Potter to feel betrayed by you and break off all communications with you as much as possible. To isolate him from everyone who would give him the support he needs."  
  
Dumbledore sighed, "Then what would you both suggest?"  
  
McGonagall took a deep breath and said, "I was speaking with Poppy last night and she would only tell me bits and pieces of what she saw, but from what I gather, there were a few moments when the voices seemed to float in the darkness taunting him with out actually having an image to go along with it. Is that correct?"  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head.  
  
"Perhaps it is possible to convince Harry to place only those memories into the pensieve for the others to see or rather hear in a meeting. Some phrases that aren't too revealing about his ordeal as it were," she suggested.  
  
"The idea does have merit and it would enable me to convey to the dark lord that you have once again broken your word to Potter. That should please him," Snape said in thought.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure it would make Tom very happy."  
  
- - - - -  
  
On shaking legs, a fully dressed Harry emerges from the bathroom almost an hour later. His eyes are half glazed over and he is walking slowly to his room. The only thought on his mind was to be alone, he wanted to be alone. No one could hurt him when he was alone.  
  
However, Harry did not make it to his room before he was stopped by Madame Pomfrey. "Potter?" she said as she walked up to him, "Are you going to class this morning?" He was about to respond when she laid her hand on his shoulder and unknown to the nurse, but his body responded to the touch.   
  
Then Harry Potter screamed.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Up in Gryffindor Tower Ron, Hermione and Neville were leaving the common room to go down to the Great Hall to have breakfast.  
  
"Do you think Harry will come to class today?" Neville asked as they walked through the corridors.  
  
"Not this morning," Hermione said. "Since he dropped potions class he has his Monday mornings free."  
  
"I still can't believe that greasy git did that to Harry," Ron said in disgust. "At least it proves that I was right all these years when I said he hated Harry."  
  
Neville snorted in agreement while Hermione shot Ron a look that said, 'Snape is still a teacher.'  
  
However, all conversations between them immediately stopped when the halls were filled with the sound of Harry screaming. All four froze in their tracks.  
  
"That's Harry," Neville said as he turned around and started to run down the hallway towards the infirmary, followed closely by the other two.  
  
- - - - -  
  
In the hallway outside the Headmaster's office Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were making their way towards the Great Hall to have breakfast when they too heard the sounds of Harry screaming.  
  
For a moment they all looked at one another before Dumbledore said, "That sounds like Harry." Then the three teachers started down the corridor towards the infirmary.  
  
- - - - -  
  
As Draco Malfoy and his two Slytherin cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, were walking up from their dungeon common room on their way up the stairs to breakfast, they were stopped by a sound they had never heard before.  
  
"What was that?" Goyle asked confused as usual.  
  
"I dunno," Crabbe answered equally confused.  
  
"Idiots," Malfoy snarled at them, "That was Potter. Come on I want to see why he is in agony and I'm not the one doing it to him."  
  
The three then ran up the stairs past the entrance to the Great Hall and towards the infirmary.  
  
- - - - -  
  
In the Great Hall students and teachers alike were sitting down to have their breakfast. Several of the students were still pouring into the hall as well as a few teachers. However, each and every one of them stopped when they heard the sounds of screaming coming from the direction of the hospital wing.  
  
"What was that?" asked a started Wymer Toft, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  
  
Professor Sprout gave Professor Flitwick a worried look before she answered the man. "Nothing to worry about, it happens from time to time. Would you mind helping the other teachers get the students back under control while Filius and I check out what made that noise?"  
  
"Oh course, Pomona, it's my job to help as I can," he replied as the heads of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw went scurrying out of the hall.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Back in the infirmary Harry was still screaming. He had also fallen to the floor and had crawled away from the school nurse as fast as he could until he literally backed himself up into a corner with a wild look in his eyes. It was then that he frantically searched for his wand and upon finding it began a barrage of curses and hexes at anything that moved in the room.  
  
"Harry, stop it! It's me, Poppy Pomfrey!" screamed the school nurse trying to get him to snap out of his trance. It was obvious to her that he didn't know who she was and was reacting out of pure terror. Thankfully a moment later she heard a popping sound as she was dodging a new curse that came her way.  
  
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, why is you's screaming?" Dobby asked worriedly.  
  
Harry didn't respond to the elf either and began to send curses in his direction, which scared Dobby to no end. However, the elf erected a shield that managed to deflect every Harry threw at it and protected the elf and school nurse for a moment in order to have a conversation.  
  
"Madame Poppy, what is being wrong with Harry Potter?"  
  
"I think I triggered this Dobby. When he came out of the bathroom I asked him a question and touched his shoulder and when I did he screamed," she admitted sadly.  
  
"Bad wizards is doing this to Harry Potter, not Madame Poppy."  
  
- - - - -  
  
However at that moment, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape reached the outer doors of the infirmary and heard the sounds of wand fire coming from the inside. Peeking inside the teachers find that Harry was in the corner of the room sending curse after curse towards Dobby and Madame Pomfrey, who were pinned down under the magical barrier the elf had erected.  
  
"Albus," Professor McGonagall asked, "What do you think happened?"  
  
"I don't know Minerva, but we need to help them."  
  
"Potter has gone insane," Snape sneered. "We should have sent him to St. Mungo's."  
  
"Severus," McGonagall warned in a strictest voice.  
  
"That was not a viable option and you know it Severus," Dumbledore said to him. "When I go in there I'm going to try to draw Harry's attention as you two get Poppy and Dobby out of there."  
  
The other two nodded as they came rushing in to the infirmary. However, the plan did not work as the Headmaster had hoped, for not only was he met with several curses and hexes, but so were the two other teachers that came in with him. Any movement whatsoever a curse was thrown at them by a frantic seventh year student.   
  
"Harry!" Dumbledore yelled and began to return spells back to the frantic student.  
  
Professor McGonagall reached the safety of the barrier where she found the other two had not been harmed at all. "What happened?" McGonagall asked.  
  
"I'm not sure Minerva, but I think while he was taking his shower, he began to relive his experiences from over the summer. He was fine until I touched him and when I did he reacted and has been throwing curses ever since," answered the school nurse.  
  
"Harry Potter is needing calming down," Dobby said as he watched Dumbledore and Snape both dueling with Harry and losing. "We needs more wizards and witches to be distracting him so's I's can be getting near him."  
  
Right at that moment, Ron, Hermione and Neville showed up at the open infirmary doors and watched as Harry was dueling with the other two wizards. When McGonagall spotted them, she and Pomfrey made a dash out from behind the barrier and pulled the students out of the doorway.  
  
"Children, what are you doing here?" Pomfrey questioned them.  
  
"We heard Harry screaming," Neville answered quickly. "What happened to him?"  
  
"That's not important now," McGonagall said, "What we need is now is more people in there dueling with him. The more people he has to contend with the easier it is for Dobby to get closer to him." So as McGonagall and the three Gryffindors were about to join Dumbledore and Snape when they were joined by the Malfoy and his cronies and Professors Sprout and Flitwick.  
  
"Minerva?" Pomona Sprout asked, "What's going on?" Quickly they were told the story and then all but the three Slytherins entered the infirmary again to try to help Harry.  
  
As Harry battled the entire group, he began to become fatigued, but he was still holding his own against them. It wasn't until the faint pop behind him and then the feeling of his face being covered with a cloth that was wet with a calming potion that he finally allowed himself to relax again. As Harry felt his arms lower from their defensive positions, Dobby took the opportunity and poured the remainder of the vial of Calming Potion down his throat.  
  
"Well, Harry," Dumbledore said wearily, "That was an impressive amount of dueling there."  
  
Harry however did not answer.  
  
- - - - -  
  
As the morning bell rang signaling the beginning of the first class of the day, Professor Wymer Toft enters his classroom in the same manner he had every morning since he started teaching at Hogwarts and takes to his podium in the front of the class.  
  
"Good morning sixth years," Professor Toft addresses them and then he begins his lecture he has prepared for them. "Today we will be discussing the tactics taken by the Death Eaters during the reign of terror of You-Know-Who. What can anyone tell me about them after You-Know-You was defeated by Harry Potter all those years ago?"  
  
At the mention of Harry's name, Professor Toft's gaze quickly went to Colin Creevey, who was sitting beside Ginny Weasley in the second row and his eyes sparkled and a small smile came to his lips. Toft made a mental note of this as he called on Luna Lovegood to answer his question.   
  
The remainder of the class period went on in this same thread, they discussed how the Death Eaters were either captured or somehow managed to escaped capture through lies, deceit, bribery or whatever other method they could think of.  
  
During the last twenty minutes of class, Professor Toft allows the class to read the text as they prepare to write the essay he assigned them which covered today's topics. While the students are reading, Toft uses legimency on Colin when he gains the young man's attention to hand him a book from one of the shelves near him. While Toft is scanning Colin's mind, he learns quite a bit about him. Toft finds out about Colin's homosexuality and his feeling towards Harry Potter. He also learns that Colin is dying to be able to talk to someone about it.  
  
When the bell rings to end class, Professor Toft holds Colin back for a moment and asks, "Mr. Creevey may I ask you a personal question?" The question confused Colin, but he nods his head in acceptance and Toft asks, "Please forgive me if I embarrass you, but are you in love with Harry Potter?"  
  
Colin looked a little scared by the question and Toft thought for a moment that he might bolt from the classroom. However, Colin was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors were brave. Also Harry had taught him what true bravery was in the past two years of D.A. meetings. So Colin answered, "Yes sir, I am."  
  
Toft smiled at his luck. "That was very brave of you Mr. Creevey. When I was your age I would never have had the courage to say that. I wish I had." Then the Defense teacher smiled at the student. "Does Mr. Potter know about it?"  
  
"No sir, I'm not that brave," Colin answered truthfully. "What did you not have the courage to do when you were my age?"  
  
"To tell the handsome young man I loved, that I loved him. I'll always regret that," Toft lied perfectly to him. "I haven't met Mr. Potter yet, so I only know him from his publicity, but from what I know of him, I'd say he values honesty above most things. Maybe you should tell him so."  
  
"Well," Colin said trying to think of something to stall for time, "he's been in the hospital wing since term began and I don't think he would be very receptive at the moment."  
  
"Is e alright?" Toft asked even though he knew from the other teachers that Harry had been excused from classes for the time being.  
  
"I think so, but I haven't seen him yet this year," Colin said with a hint of sadness.  
  
"Maybe you should go see him, just to see for yourself if he is fine or not. From the look in your eyes right now, I'd say that you are greatly worried about him. Knowing will set your mind to rest," Toft advised the boy silkily.  
  
"Maybe your right sir, thanks for the help."  
  
"It's been my pleasure to help Mr. Creevey."  
  
- - - - -  
  
Sitting in his room in the infirmary Harry sat a little table eating something that Dobby brought him from the kitchens. Harry still felt very ashamed of himself from his morning's outburst. At first when the elf had brought the food in he had refused it, not feeling that he was worthy of eating good food, but a good scolding from Dobby changed things around fast enough.  
  
"Harry Potter is not to being ashamed! You's is just getting better from bad wizards, you's is! Now Harry Potter is stting down and eating his food and is taking his potion, so he's is feeling better."  
  
However, Harry's eyes filled with tears and he fell to his knees and did something he never had done before, he hugged the little elf. Dobby's eyes filled with tears as well and his lower lip trembled from the wonderful feeling in his heart by being hugged by Harry.  
  
"I'm sorry I scared you Dobby. I didn't mean it."  
  
"Dobby is knowing Harry Potter, Dobby is knowing. Now you's is eating or you's is getting sick," Dobby said and pulled Harry into a chair and pulled up a plate for him. Dobby was happy that Harry obediently ate his lunch, as he wasn't sure how else to make him.  
  
Now Harry was finished with his meal and he was getting his things ready to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He had felt that he had missed enough classes and needed to start living again. Of course the last time he thought that he punched Snape in the gut, tried to kill himself and ended up sleeping for three solid days.  
  
"Come on Dobby, let's go to class," Harry said and the elf followed along faithfully.  
  
"Harry?" Poppy asked him as he walked out of his room with his rucksack flung over one arm. He stopped when she spoke to him and listened to her continue. "Where are you off to?"  
  
"I thought I might go to class," he replied while looking at his shoes.  
  
"Alright, but don't over extend yourself," she said sympathetically. "You have my permission to leave class if things become to rough for you."  
  
Harry nodded his head still not looking at her in the eye and muttered another apology to her before leaving her domain.  
  
- - - - -  
  
After lunch when the bell rang to announce that the afternoon classes were to begin, Professor Wymer Toft strode into the class room and announced to the class, "Good afternoon, seventh years."  
  
A few students returned the greeting, but not many. Unlike the other years, the seventh year students, for the most part did not like Professor Toft. Most of them thought he was a braggart and was teaching them very little. In fact most of them had learned more from Harry in the previous year.  
  
Harry, who was sitting in between Ron and Hermione in the fourth row near the door in case he felt the need to leave class early for some reason, watched as his new teacher came into the class room. There was something about his man that Harry didn't like, but honestly had no idea what it could be.  
  
"Now today class, we are going to continue on our discussion of curses you should avoid due to the fact that counter curses are not always effective on them," the teacher said as almost everyone took notes, including Harry. "Today and for the rest of the week, we are going to focus on curses that are not only legal but in small doses are not harmful, but when taking several hits can be … well that can hurt and be very uncomfortable."  
  
Looking around to make sure everyone was ready for him to continue, he said, "Can anyone tell me about the Kajuris curse?"  
  
Hermione and several of the Ravenclaws in the room raised their hands. Toft called on Hermione.  
  
"Actually sir, it is a healing charm to heal cuts and damage to the skin," she replied.  
  
"Excellent Ms. Granger, three points to Gryffindor. However, it is classified as a curse rather than as a charm. Now can you tell me what would happen if a person was hit with that curse multiple times?"  
  
Hermione continued, "Well sir a person could have any opening in the skin permanently sealed shut, including their eyes, ears, nose and mouths. Such a person would suffocate to death in a few minutes."  
  
Toft nodded at her and gave her two more points, as the class continued taking notes. In fact he went through several more curses in this same manner, allowing students to answer while others took notes. It wasn't until he came to the last curse on his list that Harry froze.  
  
"Can anyone explain to me about the Exoplasitus curse?" he asked innocently.  
  
No one in the room raised their hand to answer, they had never heard of it before. The minute Harry heard him say that hated word he recognized the man's voice.   
  
'No it can't be,' Harry reasoned with himself. 'This man can't be the one, he can't be.'  
  
Toft looked around the room and said, "You mean to tell me I've found a curse that no one in this room knows about?"  
  
However, Harry raises his hand and says, "It's the pleasure curse. Being hit with it once or twice won't do any lasting harm, as it was once used for sexual arousal, however, multiple hits of it can cause its victim to have uncontrollable bouts of pleasure to the point of it becoming torture. It is also known as the raping curse sir."  
  
Everyone looked at the Gryffindor wondering how he knew that, especially Hermione. However, she had a suspicion she already knew that answer to that question and truly did not want it confirmed.  
  
"I suppose that is a working explanation of the curse Potter, but do try to wait to be called upon next time," Toft said with obvious distaste for Harry.  
  
Harry swallowed and looked back down to his notes and began writing something about the curse he just described, as Toft began describing the curse with a more definite text book description. Toft's description, which was almost identical to Harry's, annoyed Ron to no end for the way he had just treated his best mate.  
  
Dobby popped into the classroom and tugged on Harry's sleeve and whispered to him, "Is Harry Potter needing to be going now?"  
  
Harry shook his head 'no' and returned to his note taking as the elf popped away again.  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
I would like to thank Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Fangalla and Uber for reviewing my story.  
  
Fangalla, You kinda have the Exoplasitus curse figured out. Also Harry may yet try to initiate human contact again.  
  
Uber, what do you mean your too lazy to read the whole thing, there aren't that many chapters! 


	13. Hero Worship

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Thirteen: Hero Worship  
  
After Defense Against the Dark Arts class was over Harry was about to head back to the infirmary to find the safety of his private room, when he was stopped by his two best friends.  
  
"So Harry, what did you think of our new teacher?" Ron asked.  
  
"Not much," he replied still remembering getting his head bitten off by the teacher for giving the right answer. "Kind of reminds me of Snape."  
  
Hermione looked pensive and said, "Yes, they do have similar methods of teaching don't they?"  
  
"Similar methods," Ron said incredibly, "I'd say they are almost one and the same."  
  
"No they aren't Ron," Harry said. "Snape is horrible to everyone at all times, but Toft seems to be only hateful to me."  
  
Ron was about to retort, but a look from Hermione stopped him in his tracks. They both knew it was true. However, the three were soon interrupted by Neville who came up to them and asked, "So Harry, are you going to start the D.A. back up again?"  
  
Harry thought about it for a half a second and said, "Yeah, I think it would be a good idea."  
  
Ron and Neville beamed and said "Brilliant" together.  
  
Hermione however, has a look of deep concern on her face. "Harry, are you sure you're up to it yet, I mean you're technically still in the infirmary. I mean I don't want you to overdo it or anything."  
  
Harry smiled at her and was grateful for her concern, "I think I can handle it."  
  
- - - - -  
  
In the corridor watching the Gryffindors walk away from Professor Toft's classroom, Draco Malfoy stood there and wondered, 'How does he do that? Go from one minute of pure hell and then an hour later walk around as if it never happened.'  
  
"Draco?" Goyle asked. "Why are you staring at Potter?"  
  
Draco sighed and then drawled, "My father wants me to keep an eye on him. The Dark Lord wants to know what happened to him over the summer and father wants me to get closer to him. I have no idea how to do it."  
  
Crabbe and Goyle stood there shocked; it was a rare moment when Draco Malfoy admitted that he didn't know how to do something.  
  
"However, I do have an idea," Draco admitted planting a seed of deceit in his two stupid goons. "I'll have to think about it some more."  
  
- - - - -  
  
On their way to their next class, which was Advanced Charms with Professor Flitwick, the Gryffindors made their way into the class. Entering the room and finding a place to sit that was near the door, but truly Harry didn't think he would need to leave early as Flitwick was always a kind hearted person and he felt safe there.   
  
Then Harry realized, 'I feel safe with Flitwick.' Harry put more thought into it for a moment, 'I wonder where that comes from?' That was a very interesting thought as Harry didn't feel safe with anyone any more.  
  
Moments later the bell rang and tiny little Flitwick came into the room and greeted his students, "Good afternoon everyone, good afternoon. Now today we are going to continue with our work with household charms. I want you to split up into smaller groups and practice with them."  
  
"Um, Hermione," Harry began, "I have no idea what charms we are suppose to be working on. I've missed too much by not being here last week."  
  
"We're doing simple packing charms and folding charms on our clothes, Harry. They're really easy to do, even Ron can do them," Hermione said.  
  
"HEY!" Ron said insulted as Harry and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Actually, we were going to start working on dueling," Hermione theorized, "but Professor Flitwick decided to wait to give us a refresher on our household charms. I think he wanted to wait until you came back to class to be honest."  
  
"I guess he got a good look at me this morning," Harry said looking down.  
  
Ron and Hermione shot looks at one another and Ron said, "You know it took all of us just to keep up with you. Even Snape looked like he was barely holding his own."  
  
Harry grinned even though he was looking guilty about the whole episode. However, they were interrupted by Professor Flitwick.  
  
"Harry, I know that you missed last week's classes, so don't worry about it, we are just reviewing household charms that you learned last year."  
  
Harry nodded and barely looking the short teacher in the face.  
  
Flitwick ignored this and continued excitedly, "Next week we are going to be starting on dueling techniques and you might want to brush up on them before hand. However, if you perform the same as you did this morning, I'm not going to be worried about you keeping up."   
  
Harry looked up shocked as the teacher walked away giggling.  
  
- - - - -  
  
After class was over Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Charms class and started to make their way up to the Gryffindor common room. However, along the way the trio ran into Professor McGonagall.  
  
"There you are Potter," the transfiguration teacher said as she spotted him walking in between his two friends. "The Headmaster would like to have a word with you in his office."  
  
Harry groaned at the thought of having to talk about what happened this morning, which he knew Dumbledore would more than likely to do.  
  
"Don't look so depressed about it Potter," McGonagall said briskly. "You're not being expelled; he just wants to ask your permission to do something that is in your best interests."  
  
Harry looked down and nodded, but said nothing as he followed her to the Headmaster's office. When they arrive at the stone gargoyle that guards the entrance she gave the password and it leapt aside allowing them to go up the spiral staircase. Entering the office, Harry finds Madame Pomfrey already there.  
  
"Ah Harry, thank you for coming to see us," Dumbledore said beaming at him. "We wanted to talk to you about allowing us to talk about what we saw in the pensieve with the other members of the Order."  
  
Harry stiffened and backed away from him. In a small voice he said, "You promised me."  
  
"And I have every intention of keeping that promise, I assure you," Dumbledore said soothingly. "Minerva had an idea that she thought you might be open to concerning this. Minerva?"  
  
"Harry, I don't know if you know or not, but Poppy only told me very little about what you allowed them to see in your memories. However, from what I gather Albus recognized one of the voices of one or more of the people who held you captive, but can't identify them. We … I had an idea what maybe if you just place the memory of the voices that spoke to you, not the visual memory, just their voices back into the pensieve than we could allow the other members of the Order to listen and maybe identify your captors," she said looking hopeful that he would agree.  
  
Harry sat in one of the chairs and thought about it.  
  
"Harry," Poppy began, "you don't have to do this right now if you don't want to. You can take time to think about it, all the time you like."  
  
Harry gave her a half smile and said "I'll do it, but I want to do it alone."  
  
Dumbledore twinkled at him and agreed to give him privacy to do it. However, as Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey were leaving, he said to Harry, "A minute longer if you don't mind Harry."  
  
Harry sat back down in his chair and waited for the Headmaster to begin.  
  
"Molly Weasley has been speaking with me recently and so far I had argued against her idea, but after this morning, I am beginning to think that maybe she might be right after all."  
  
"What's that sir?" Harry asked.  
  
"She thinks that you need to speak with a Healer from St. Mungo's who specializes in working with people who are in similar situations as yourself," Dumbledore said.  
  
Harry began breathing harder, so far he had pretended that the members of the Order didn't know about what happened to him, but now he couldn't and he felt ashamed.  
  
Guessing what Harry was thinking Dumbledore said, "She only knows that you were tortured."  
  
Harry nodded and waited for Dumbledore to continue.  
  
"I've been thinking about bringing a healer here to be close to you, so you can talk to him or her about this. So you can get passed this easier. Poppy has agreed that she does not have the necessary training to help you in the way that you need."  
  
Harry looked up horror struck and becoming visibly upset.  
  
Dumbledore raised a hand and gently said, "She's not abandoning you Harry. Poppy has just recognized that she is not enough to meet your needs, but she won't leave you or allow you to leave the castle."   
  
Harry said nothing, but stood up and began to pace around the room.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?"  
  
"What if I don't like this person you hire to come here?" Harry asked sadly.  
  
"Then I'll find one that you do like."  
  
- - - - -  
  
After Harry had not returned to Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Hermione decided to go ahead down to the Great Hall and have dinner. Normally they would have formed the 'line' and accompanied him to the Headmaster's office, but after Harry had allowed him to view the pensieve that hadn't been necessary any longer.  
  
Taking their seats at the Gryffindor table Ron looked around and noticed that no one was paying them any attention. Leaning in he asked, "Hermione, can I ask you a question about Harry?"  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Well, your loads smarter than I am and you pick things up so much quicker than I do," Ron said trying to compliment her for being smarter than he. "In Toft's class today, how do you think Harry knows about that pleasure curse? I mean he seemed to know it very well."  
  
Hermione looked like she was about either cry or start screaming, Ron wasn't quite sure.   
  
"I don't know how he knows it Ron, but I can bet all my books that he didn't know it at the end of last year when term ended."  
  
Ron nodded knowingly and then asked, "On the first day of term when Harry was in potions class, you spoke with McGonagall about something. You were very upset about it, but didn't tell me. Can I guess what it was?"  
  
Hermione looked vaguely ill but nodded her head.  
  
Lowering his voice to barely a whisper he asked, "Hermione, was Harry raped?"  
  
With tears welling up in her eyes, she said, "I think so, but I have a feeling that it doesn't even come close to the torture he went through."  
  
Ron pushed his plate away and raked his hand through his hair. "Fuck."  
  
"Yeah," Hermione agreed. However, as she was drying her eyes, she saw Harry walking towards them in through the doors to the Great Hall. "Ron, Harry's coming in now, you better start eating. I don't think he wants us to know about this and he looks terrible as it is."  
  
As Harry sat down on the other side of the table from his two best friends, Ron said, "Hey mate, you okay?" as he began to scoop large amounts of food into his plate.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Harry said noncommittally.  
  
"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Dumbledore wants me to see a therapist."  
  
"A what," asked Ron?  
  
"I think that might be a good idea Harry. You might feel better if you had someone to talk to," Hermione advised.  
  
"What's a theparist?" Ron asked again.  
  
"A mental healer," Hermione explained.  
  
"Oh," he said with comprehension. "She's right mate, you would feel better."  
  
"I doubt it," Harry mumbled.   
  
Ron and Hermione exchanged a dark look. "Harry," she cooed at him, "remember how much better you felt last year when you spoke to with Healer Vinson?"  
  
"He was a grief counselor to help me deal with the death of Sirius, Hermione, this is very different," Harry said in a barely controlled voice.  
  
Ron and Hermione had no idea what to say to that.  
  
- - - - -  
  
After they had eaten dinner, well Rona and Hermione ate while Harry picked at his food, they all went back up to Gryffindor Tower to do their homework and for Hermione to help Harry catch up on the subjects that they had in common.  
  
"Actually, I don't think that you've missed that much in Advanced Charms, as Flitwick told you today, so you should be fine there," explained Hermione. "Also you seemed to catch up very quickly in Defense Against the Dark Arts, in fact you were answering things I didn't know about."  
  
Harry stiffened in his chair at the memory of the pleasure curse explanation and hoped they wouldn't ask how he knew it.  
  
However, Hermione didn't seem to notice and moved on to other class work, "Now that leaves us with N.E.W.T. Level Potions and Advanced Transfiguration."  
  
"I dropped potions class," Harry said tonelessly.  
  
"I know," Hermione said looking at him, "But I think you should ask to be let back into the class." When Harry started to protest, she cut him off and continued, "Harry, you know you need it to become an Auror."  
  
"I'm not going to be an Auror anymore."  
  
"Harry…" she began, but a look from Harry shut her down quickly, knowing it was connected to whatever happened to him over the summer and he wasn't ready to deal with that yet.  
  
"Now what about Advanced Transfiguration?" asked Harry wanted to change the subject.  
  
"Well, it's mostly been reading so far, but we are going to begin human transfiguration this term," Hermione said excitedly. "Were you still thinking about becoming an animagi?"  
  
Harry shrugged, he honestly hadn't thought about it since the end of last term. However, he and Hermione reviewed what had been done in the past week of classes which took about an hour to go through. Once he was done with that, all that he needed to catch up on was his Care of Magical Creatures class that he had with Ron and he thought he might go ask Hagrid about those directly as an excuse to see him.   
  
As they were studying, Harry would periodically talk to various friends of his in Gryffindor and the hour soon became late. In fact Harry thought about just sleeping in his bed with his dorm mates. Harry was a little nervous about it, but deep down he knew he would be alright there. So Harry sat there in the mostly empty common room pretending to look at his book and debating what to do when he heard someone speaking to him.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry looked up to see Colin Creevey standing there and for once he didn't have his camera. "Hey Colin."  
  
"Harry I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."  
  
Harry was a little wary of this, thinking he was going to ask questions about what happened to him, but he nodded anyway and Colin sat down at the table next to him.  
  
"Harry, I've been thinking a lot lately about certain things and I think that if I want to be honest with myself I should talk about them," Colin began and left Harry clueless where this was going, but as long as it wasn't about his summer, he didn't really care.  
  
"You see Harry, I'm in love with you and I wanted you to know." Harry's eyes almost popped out of his head at Colin's words. He continued, "I've been in love with you for a very long time and I would like to …" Colin paused for a deep breath and said, "I want to give myself to you Harry. I want to make love with you." Then Colin placed his hand on top of Harry's, which caused the Boy-Who-Lived to panic.  
  
'He wants to do it to me like they did,' thought Harry in his panic and he pulled his arm away from Colin.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Nononononononononononononono," chants Harry as fast as he can, which draws Dobby's attention to him and he pops into the common room.  
  
"Harry Potter is you's okay?" squeaked the elf.  
  
"Nononononononononononononono," continued Harry.  
  
At this point Dobby rounded on Colin, "What is you's doing to Harry Potter?"  
  
"We were just talking, I swear it and then he started to do that," Colin said with concern for Harry.  
  
Suddenly Harry gets up and abandoning his books and rucksack, heads towards the painting of the Fat Lady and bolts from the tower to return to the safety of his room in the infirmary.  
  
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, where is you's going?" Dobby yelled as he followed him into the corridor.  
  
- - - - -  
  
With tears running down his young face, Colin ran through the corridors of the castle fleeing from his embarrassment as much as from Gryffindor Tower. Of all the things that Colin had thought about Harry's reaction to be to his offer, this was not anyone of them and he was very hurt by it. Finally Colin came to the office door of Professor Wymer Toft, the man who encouraged him to talk to Harry about his love for him.  
  
Colin knocked on the door frantically for a few minutes before he received a reply.   
  
"Mr. Creevey?" Professor Toft asked, "What are you doing here so close to curfew?"  
  
"I did what you suggested sir and …" Colin sobbed before he started crying again.  
  
Drawing the young man into his sitting and depositing him on the sofa in front of the fireplace, he asked, "I take it you mean you told Mr. Potter that you are in love with him?"  
  
Colin nodded his head sadly.  
  
Toft faked a sigh of concern, "I take it things did not go well then?"  
  
Again Colin nodded his answer as more tears fell down his cheeks.  
  
Sitting down beside the sixth year, Toft put his arm around the shaking boy and drew him closer and said, "Tell me all about it."  
  
Colin allowed himself to nuzzle into the older man and recanted the evening's events to him, before burrowing his head into the teacher's chest and muttered, "He'll never love me now. I've ruined everything."  
  
"Nonsense, Colin, he probably was overwhelmed by it all," Toft cooed into the boy's ear. "You said it yourself; he's been through a lot his summer and he probably wasn't yet ready for this yet. I shouldn't have pushed you into this. I'm so sorry." Then the older wizard kissed Colin's forehead affectionately.  
  
"No, he'll never love me, no one will ever love me," sobbed Colin even harder.  
  
"Listen to me," Toft said authoritatively, "You are a beautiful and dynamic young man. Anyone would be blessed to be with you, anyone would love to hold you in his arms like I am now and love you for as long as you wanted." Then softly he stroked Colin's cheek, catching a few tears with his finger.  
  
Colin looked into Toft's eyes and the older wizard could feel the boy begin to melt into his arms. Toft knew that Colin would be close to being ready for what he had planned for him. Leaning down Toft captured Colin's lips in a soft and desperate kiss that electrified the student.  
  
Breaking away Toft breathlessly said, "I'm sorry Colin, I shouldn't have done that. You're vulnerable right now and I shouldn't be taking advantage of someone as beautiful and pure as you are."  
  
"You're not sir," Colin said with darkened eyes filled with longing. "It was not unwelcome."  
  
Toft smiled and once again reclaimed his lips in a strong kiss, one that Colin returned this time and slowly the older wizard's hands began to explore the young man's body. His back, his legs, his arms, his face, his chest, and finally finding his arse making Colin squeak with pleasure.  
  
Breaking away from the boy once more, Toft said, "Colin perhaps its best if you returned to Gryffindor Tower, otherwise, I may do something that would make you uncomfortable."  
  
"Like what?" asked the boy timidly and yet wantonly at the same time.  
  
"Like pick you up and carry you to my bed and do things with you that teachers should NOT do with their students," Toft said lustily.  
  
Colin thought about it for half a moment and asked, "Who would ever know if we did?"  
  
A greedy smile broke across Toft's face and said, "No one I guess."  
  
"Then may I stay with you tonight sir?"  
  
"Yes Colin you may," he said and picked the boy up and carried him to his bed, where he undressed the boy and devoured him with kisses all over his naked flesh, while Colin giggled innocently.  
  
Then shrugging off his own clothes, he climbed onto the bed with Colin and asked, "What would you like to do?"  
  
With trusting eyes, Colin said, "Anything you want."  
  
Smirking evilly, Toft takes his wand and conjures a silver bar to be suspended form the ceiling and then instructs the boy to "Grab hold of each end of the bar."  
  
Colin does as he is told and as he grabs hold of each end, leather restraints appear and hold him in place firmly. Then Toft conjures a blind fold and a gag and places them on Colin before binding his ankles together with leather also.  
  
Leaning in close behind the young Gryffindor, who could feel the older wizard's erection brushing up against his soft backside and Toft says, "Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you. It's all apart of the experience."  
  
Colin nods mutely as he feels Toft scrape his body gently with his wand and hears an incantation he's never heard before.  
  
"Exoplasitus."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
I would like to thank Angel74, Benjis VIP, Blue Squirtle15, Bluetattingman, Fangalla, Lanne666, SeparatriX and Wytil for reviewing my story. 


	14. Deconstructing Harry

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation  
  
By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Deconstructing Harry  
  
Moments after Harry and Colin had a very odd conversation in the common room of Gryffindor Tower; Harry went barreling down the hallways heading as fast as he could towards the infirmary and his private room with Dobby running after him as fast as he could to keep up.  
  
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter," called the house elf, "You's is slowing down, so's Dobby can be keeping up."  
  
Dobby never knew if Harry heard him or not, as the only thing he kept saying was "Nononononononono." Harry was no where near ready to think about any form of sexual activity again. In fact the very thought of it scared Harry and he was forced to remember bits of what happened to him. Luckily he didn't have to relive it this time, but it was still uncomfortable for him.  
  
When Harry arrived at the infirmary doors, he found Draco Malfoy, who was all alone and was waiting to talk to him. Though Harry was scared out of his wits, he was going to be damned before he allowed his rival to know it, and so put a calm face on.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
"Potter," Draco replied, noticing that Harry was trying his best to act calm and definitely wasn't.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Draco sighed, "I wanted to talk to you Potter. I wanted to see how you were doing after your first day being back in classes."  
  
Harry just stood there staring at him for a moment, wondering what he was really doing there. However, he was drawn out of his thoughts as Dobby arrived.  
  
"Harry Potter, you's is stopping and telling Dobby what is going wrong."  
  
"Wrong?" Draco asked, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"You's is staying out of this you's is," snarled the elf as he jumped in between the two boys.  
  
Draco looked at the little elf and said, "You don't order me around."  
  
"That is what's Professor Snape was saying and you's saw what is happening when wizards is not listening to what's they is being told."  
  
Draco gulped, "So that's what happened to him? It was you?"  
  
"It's alright Dobby, Malfoy just wanted to talk to me about something," Harry said, not wanting them to fight for some unknown reason. "Stick around though and maybe I'll let you do to Malfoy what you did to Snape."  
  
"Hey," Draco said with wide eyes. "I haven't done anything to you since the year has begun, I don't deserve that."  
  
Confused Harry turned to the elf, "Dobby, did you do something else other than yell at Snape?"  
  
"Ummm," stalled the elf, "You's is seeing how things is, Harry Potter. Professor Snape was being very bad to Harry potter and he was's not feeling sorry for it and I's is not liking it very much …"  
  
A large grin came to Harry's face, "And what did you do to him?"  
  
"What did he do? He turned Professor Snape's hair bright pink, his skin yellow with green polka dots and caused tentacles to sprout all over his face," Draco said in outrage.  
  
Harry bent over double laughing.  
  
"That wasn't funny Potter," Draco said defending his Head of House.  
  
"Yes, it is," replied Harry.  
  
"Harry Potter is feeling better at least," Dobby said before popping away to allow the boys to have a talk.  
  
- - - - -  
  
A few minutes later, Harry and Draco were sitting in the main room of the infirmary over a chess board and having an odd conversation.  
  
"So why were you running through the hallways with your elf chasing after you?" asked Draco.  
  
"That's none of your business," replied Harry curtly.  
  
Smiling, Draco said, "I know that, if it were my business then it wouldn't be any fun. So why were you running?"  
  
Harry sighed as Draco's bishop captured one of his pons, "Someone wanted to have sex with me."  
  
"Oh yeah, I go screaming through the castle when that happens to me," Draco said sarcastically. "Want to try the truth this time?"  
  
Harry was quiet for awhile and thought to himself, 'Why am I even talking to him? We're not even friends, why is he here?'  
  
"Check," said Draco shaking Harry out of his quiet reverie.   
  
"I was telling the truth."  
  
Draco looked at him, not quite knowing if he should believe it or not, "Alright, so why didn't you just shag the poor girl then?"  
  
"I didn't feel like it for one and it wasn't a girl," Harry replied as he moved his rook to defend his king.  
  
"Oh, I see, doesn't care for the boys do you now? Maybe you should try it before you dismiss it," Draco said smirking, hoping that Harry picked up a clue there.   
  
However, Harry's eyes went a little out of focus as he remembered some of the events of the summer.  
  
Draco noticed as Harry began to shiver and withdraw, so he quickly said, "Must have been that Hufflepuff git. You know who I mean, Smith-what-his-name."  
  
Harry stared at Draco for a moment, having been quite efficiently brought back to reality without one hex or curse being fired off. Then Harry made a horrible face and asked, "Zacharias Smith? Are you joking?"  
  
"Well, he watches you constantly you know. I bet he fantasizes about you all the time."  
  
"Malfoy stop now! I do not want to even think about that!" said Harry, with a bad taste in this mouth.  
  
Draco laughed, not his usual smirk, but a genuine real laugh. Harry had never heard him do that before, it was rather a nice laugh, it makes his face seem kinder for some reason. 'Whoa,' Harry thought, 'Where did that thought come from?'  
  
The two continued to play chess for a few more minutes before Draco asked, "So who was it?"  
  
"Colin Creevey."  
  
"That little blonde haired git?" asked Draco with distaste. "Figures, he's only been chasing after you since the day he met you. I hope you hexed him in to next month."  
  
Harry smiled, for some reason he liked the idea of Draco being jealous, but he also wasn't going to dwell on it to much. "You know Malfoy; there are a lot of people who would describe you as a 'blonde haired git'."  
  
"Well, they are quite wrong you know," he replied airily.  
  
"Oh, so the rumors are true, you do bleach your hair?" asked Harry.   
  
Draco made a face that caused Harry to smile further. He had gotten his rival with that one. After a moment even Draco chuckled appreciatively at the remark.  
  
"You must be feeling better if you're picking on me."  
  
Harry smiled, but said nothing.  
  
"However, it is time for all well bred young wizards, and you, to go to sleep. I have an early day tomorrow," Draco said as his queen and bishop captured Harry's king.  
  
"Good game Malfoy."  
  
Draco nodded and left the infirmary.  
  
A few minutes later Harry changed into his pajamas and crawled into bed. "Dobby?" asked Harry, "What the hell happened tonight?"  
  
"Well," the elf answered, "I is thinking Harry Potter is being pursued romantically."  
  
"Oh." Then Harry rolled over and was soon asleep without taking any of his sleeping potions.  
  
- - - - -  
  
The next morning Professor Wymer Toft awoke in his bed with his arms wrapped around the sleeping and very naked Colin Creevey. The older wizard looks down on his young lover and smiles, their activities the night before had been very enjoyable, well at least for him. Thanks to the curse he used on the young Gryffindor, Toft knew that Colin had found some of the release he needed from the night before.  
  
Colin began to stir in the older wizard's arms and opening his eyes he smiles and says, "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning lad, how did you sleep?" Toft asked not sure of what he was going to get as a response.   
  
"Like a baby," Colin said with a childish grin and then he snuggled in closer to his teacher.  
  
Toft was slightly confused, but continued, "I was rather worried that you might have regretted what happened between us last night."  
  
"Oh no sir, last night was amazing. I never knew in my wildest dreams it could be like that."  
  
Toft's eyebrows rose up so fast that it left him looking rather odd and Colin giggled at him.  
  
"Well, I must admit that I am surprised," Toft said steadily, faking concern as much as possible. "Most grown wizards have trouble taking that spell on the first time and afterward are sometimes shaky and feel regretful about doing it. You can tell me if you are. I know I went too far with you on the first time, but you were just so beautiful last night."  
  
"Oh no sir, I feel wonderful," Colin said as he stretched his body like a cat and then crawled out of the bed.  
  
"Wymer," said Toft which made Colin look confused. "I refuse to have a night like we had last night and not have you call me by my given name."  
  
Colin smiled, truly happy that he had found someone to care for him like this. A way that he now knew Harry wouldn't. "Well, sir … Wymer, you know it's still early and I have time before I need to get back to Gryffindor Tower."  
  
"What are you suggesting Colin?" Toft said craftily.  
  
Handing the older wizard his wand, Colin said, "How did the spell go again?"  
  
Toft smirked at the boy and thought, 'He's just the lad I thought he would be,' and took the wand cast the pleasure curse on him, "Exoplasitus."  
  
Colin's eyes rolled back into his head as his body reacted to the curse.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Later that morning on her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, Madame Pomfrey met Professor McGonagall in the corridor and decided to ask the one question she had been thinking about since the night before.  
  
"Minerva?" Poppy asked, "Do you suppose Potter will go through with this plan? He's very unsure of himself when it comes to the past summer. I'm still shocked he allowed us to view what he did."  
  
Professor McGonagall nodded in understanding, "I think he'll go through with it Poppy. Once he agreed, he'll keep his word, no matter how much it hurts in the process."  
  
Silently they finished their walk to the Great Hall.  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Good morning Ron," Hermione said happily. She had been up for a while and had been waiting for Harry and Ron in the common room for about ten minutes looking at one of her books. "Where's Harry?"  
  
"I don't know, he wasn't in the dormitory this morning and his bed wasn't slept in last night."  
  
Hermione looked concerned; she had assumed he slept in dormitory bed as his books and parchment were still lying on the study table had been sitting at the night before.   
  
Ron quickly noticed that Harry's things were still there also and he said, "Maybe Harry was just tired and went back to the infirmary to sleep and didn't want to bother with his things. He does that sometimes."  
  
"Yeah, maybe," Hermione said dismissively. Then she goes over to the table and gathers up Harry's things and places them back in his rucksack. "We'll bring these down to him for breakfast; he might want them before his first class."  
  
"Come on then," Ron says, following Hermione's lead and becoming worried about Harry. "Should we take them to his room in the infirmary? He and I have Care of Magical Creatures today; we won't need those books for that class."  
  
"No, lets wait for him in the Great Hall," Hermione said as they left the common room for breakfast.  
  
- - - - -  
  
That morning as Harry was getting ready to start his day, he actually felt better than he had in a long time. After he had showered that morning, he returned to his room and got dressed and collected his rucksack, which isn't there. Then he remembers that he left all his things on one of the study tables up in Gryffindor Tower.   
  
"Damn," Harry said to himself.  
  
"Is something bothering you's Harry Potter?" asked Dobby as he was picking up after Harry.  
  
"My things are still up in the common room, I'll have to swing by and get them before going to class."  
  
"Harry Potter's first class is Care of Magical Creatures; he is only needing his Monster Book of Monsters for that class." Then Dobby conjured a new rucksack for him and put the book and a few rolls of parchment in it that he would need.  
  
"Thanks," said Harry. However, at that moment there was a small explosion of fire in the air and a letter fell to the ground. Apparently Fawkes had been sent to deliver a note to Harry, which he picked up and read.  
  
Harry,  
  
If you wouldn't mind, please come to my office today after your Care of Magical Creatures lesson. There is someone I would like for you to meet. The password to get into the office is Sugar Quills.  
  
There will be no need for you to bring Dobby with you.  
  
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry  
  
Order of Merlin, First Class  
  
Harry sighed at the letter. "Well Dobby, it seems that Professor Dumbledore has a therapist for me already. I have to meet him after my first class."  
  
"What is being a therapist, Harry Potter?"  
  
"A mental healer," Harry answered.  
  
"Maybe you's is needing one," Dobby said hopefully.  
  
Harry ignored the statement and went on, "He also said there was no need to bring you along."  
  
Dobby stopped what he was doing and with narrowed eyes said, "I is sure he is saying that."  
  
Harry smiled and asked, "Does that mean your coming anyway?"  
  
"Yes, Harry Potter, it is meaning that."  
  
- - - - -  
  
Draco had been watching the hallways waiting for his prey to come down the marble stairs. He didn't have to wait very long as a very disheveled Colin Creevey soon came down the stairs walking bow legged.  
  
'He looks like he just got shagged hard, but not by Harry, that's for sure,' thought Draco as he spied the boy.  
  
When Colin reached the bottom of the stairs, Draco detached himself from his hiding place and approached the sixth year Gryffindor. "Good morning mudblood," Draco said in his cheeriest voice.  
  
"What do you want Malfoy?" spat Colin.  
  
"To have a little talk with you this morning, that's all," replied Draco silkily. "You look like you have an interesting evening or do you always walk that way in the mornings?"  
  
Colin blushed furiously, but said nothing.  
  
Draco smirked at him and continued, "I'll take that for a 'yes'. So who was it? Another Gryffindork? Or perhaps a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw? Certainly wasn't a Slytherin, if it was one of us, you wouldn't be walking at all this morning."  
  
Colin still said nothing and tried to get passed Malfoy and into the Great Hall.  
  
Draco grabbed his arm and held him back, "Oh come now, did you close your eyes and pretend that it was Potter shagging you? I know how much you want him. Everyone in school knows how you have been chasing after him like a lost little Muggle puppy. Why he tolerates you is beyond me."  
  
"He's my friend," Colin said softly.  
  
"But he wasn't the one to shag you was he?" asked Draco with some venom in his voice. "Not like you want him to do."  
  
"What do you want Malfoy?" spat Colin angrily.  
  
"Nothing at all," replied Draco calmly and strode into the Great Hall to have breakfast.  
  
- - - - -  
  
"Good morning," Harry said, as he reached the Great Hall and found his friends sitting at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"You're in a good mood this morning," Hermione said, completely relieved that something bad had happened to Harry the night before.  
  
"Yeah mate, we were a little worried when you didn't sleep in our dormitory last night," Ron said, which earned him a kick from Hermione under the table.  
  
Harry smiled, "I was going to, but I kind of freaked out last night and went back to my room in the infirmary. I'm feeling much better this morning."  
  
"What happened last night?" whispered Hermione tentatively, "Did you relive your memories again?"  
  
Harry looked around to make sure no one was listening and whispered to his friends, "No, Colin made a pass at me last night and I didn't know how to deal with it."  
  
"HE WHAT?" bellowed Hermione as Ron sniggered into his hand. "It's not funny Ron."  
  
"It's okay Hermione, I'm fine," Harry said trying to calm her down. "I just didn't know what to do and so I left the common room rather quickly."  
  
"Come one guys, we need to eat breakfast and go to our first classes," Ron said, still sniggering to himself.  
  
Ron and Hermione ate breakfast while Harry just picked at his and shuffled it around his plate until Dobby popped in and gave him a look that said, 'You are going to eat this morning.'  
  
- - - - -  
  
When breakfast was over, Harry and Ron made their way down to Hagrid's cabin to have their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Harry had been a little uneasy about seeing Hagrid; he had snubbed the half-giant and wouldn't let him in the infirmary to see him. However, his nervousness soon disappeared the moment Hagrid laid eyes on him.  
  
"Harry!" bellowed Hagrid. "You've come to class, have yeah?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said sheepishly, "Can't stay inside forever."  
  
"Of course yeah can't," Hagrid replied with a smile and patted Harry on the shoulder, which pushed him into the ground a couple of inches. "Now, I betch're wondering what you've missed in me class?"  
  
"Yeah, I am, sorry about that," Harry said, but Hagrid waved the apology off.  
  
"Well, as you might not know I was in France and missed the beginning of classes by a couple of days," Hagrid admitted and flushed a bit.  
  
"How is Madame Maxime?" asked Ron curiously.  
  
"Oh well, you know how it is, she's alright," Hagrid stammered.  
  
"So what creature are we starting the year with then?" asked Harry, helping out his embarrassed friend.  
  
"We're going to be working with Graphorns and your in luck, I just received me shipment and they are tethered in the paddock out back," beamed Hagrid dreamily.  
  
"Really?" gulped Ron. He knew from the reading the Monster Book of Monsters that Graphorns were dangerous creatures and was hoping that Hagrid had been unable to procure one for class.  
  
Harry looked nervous when Ron gulped like he did. However, Hagrid didn't seem to notice it at all.  
  
"Yeah Ron," said Hagrid, "once everyone else is here, we're going to start working with them directly."  
  
"Great," Ron squeaked.  
  
- - - - -  
  
After Care of Magical Creatures had finished Harry made his way up to the Headmaster's office to meet with whomever Dumbledore had gotten to help him. Harry was not looking forward to this meeting at all and more than once thought about not going. However, he eventually reaches the stone gargoyle that guards the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Sugar Quills," Harry says and the gargoyle jumps out of the way and he goes up the spiral staircase to the Headmaster's office and knocks on the door.  
  
"Ah Harry, how good of you to join us today," said Dumbledore jovially but in a professional manner. "Come, have a seat."  
  
Harry took the seat next to a man that he had never met before and waited for this happen saying nothing.  
  
"Harry," Dumbledore began, "this is Camden Lennox, he is the healer from St. Mungo's that I told you would be coming to see you."  
  
"Mr. Potter," Healer Lennox said politely and Harry nodded at him. Then he continued, "Professor Dumbledore has explained to me that you were tortured during your recent abduction."  
  
Harry shot Dumbledore a quick glare and continued to listen, still saying nothing.  
  
"I suspect from your silence that more happened than just torture then?" Healer Lennox asked.  
  
"You haven't asked me anything or said anything that I needed to respond to," Harry said coldly.  
  
Healer Lennox was slightly taken aback by Harry's words and Dumbledore said, "Harry, he's only here to help you. Try to give him a chance to do so."  
  
"Perhaps if I told you more about myself, you might be more comfortable with me being around," Healer Lennox said not waiting for an answer from Harry. "Like yourself, I was a student here at Hogwarts and I was a Ravenclaw when I was here. After graduating from school, I went to work at St. Mungo's where I studied for several more years learning how to be a Healer. Now I work with people as a Mental Healer who have been through trauma in their lives."  
  
"Will I be going to St. Mungo's to … meet with you?" asked Harry.  
  
"No, I have given Camden a suite here in the castle, so that he can be closer to you in case you should need to talk to him, day or night," Dumbledore answered.  
  
"I see. How will we meet? Will there be a schedule or just when I feel like talking?"  
  
"You can talk to me whenever you like, but yes there will be a meeting time added to your class schedule so we can meet often and discuss your ordeal," Healer Lennox said.  
  
"Dobby will be there with us during all meeting," Harry said adamantly.  
  
"Now, Harry, I do not believe that will be necessary to bring him with you where ever you go. You will eventually have to work and live once again on your own," Dumbledore said sagely with a twinkle in his eye. "You didn't bring him to this meeting after all and your doing fine."  
  
Harry smiled and said, "I did bring Dobby with me, he is always with me."  
  
Dumbledore looked grave, but Healer Lennox asked, "Who is Dobby?"  
  
"My friend," Harry replied.  
  
Dumbledore relented at hearing Harry's words and added, "He is a house-elf in the employ of Harry."  
  
Healer Lennox looked confused, "I thought you were raised by Muggles, I didn't' know you owned a house elf. Are students even allowed to have house elves?"  
  
"I was raised by Muggles and I do not own Dobby, I employ him. There is a difference," explained Harry. "Dobby has been with me ever since I was found by some friends of mine. He has been taking care of me ever since and," Harry paused to give the Headmaster a look and continued, "He keeps people away from me, who would do me harm."  
  
"What an extraordinary creature," Healer Lennox said with trepidation.  
  
"He is extraordinary for any kind of creature, house elf or wizard," said Harry with conviction and the room was soon filled with the sound of someone crying and sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"Harry Potter is so noble and honorable to talk so nicely to a house elf like me," sobbed Dobby as he popped into view and hugging Harry tightly.  
  
Harry sighed and gently said, "Its okay Dobby, you don't have to cry."  
  
Healer Lennox looked at the Headmaster with a look that said, 'The house elf needs to go.'  
  
Even though Dumbledore agreed, he shook his head knowing that to do so now, would only make Harry refuse treatment and not get better.  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
I would like to thank angel74, Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Kelley, SeparatriX and WinterBliss for reviewing last chapter.  
  
WinterBliss, the thing with Colin and Toft is going somewhere I promise.  
  
Kelley, are you calling me a jackass or Toft? 


	15. Frustrations

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Even though Dumbledore agreed, he shook his head knowing that to do so now, would only make Harry refuse treatment and not get better.  
  
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Chapter Fifteen: Frustrations  
  
Sitting at the Gryffindor table having lunch, Harry periodically looked up to the staff table where Dumbledore is in rapt conversation with Camden Lennox, the mental healer from St. Mungo's.  
  
"Harry, is something wrong?"  
  
"No, nothing," Harry replied to Hermione.  
  
However, neither she nor Ron, who was sitting beside her, believed Harry.  
  
"Who's that bloke talking to Dumbledore?" asked Ron as he also looked up at the staff table.  
  
Sighing Harry said, "My new therapist," and began to push the food around his plate once more.  
  
Hermione gave him a motherly look and said, "You know that food would taste much better if it actually made it into your mouth."  
  
"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in. "You don't eat enough to keep a Jobberknoll alive." (1)  
  
Harry smiled wearily at his two best friends and took a small bite of his lunch, while they gave him identical looks that a certain house elf often gave him at meal time. "What?"  
  
"Do we have to call Dobby?" asked Hermione.  
  
Defeated Harry said, "No," and began to eat more earnestly.  
  
"Good."  
  
Ron decided to rescue Harry and pointing to the healer sitting at the staff table asked, "So do you like him?" However, it ended up not being much of a rescue.  
  
"He's okay," replied Harry.  
  
"Don't you like him?" asked Ron concerned.  
  
"I don't know," Harry sighed, "I guess I just don't know him very well yet. He seems to think he knows more about me than he really does."  
  
Both Ron and Hermione nodded, thinking the Healer Lennox was going on Harry's reputation rather than taking time to actually get to know him. It was often a problem Harry faced when meeting new people. However, what Harry had meant was he thought Dumbledore had already told him about his problems.  
  
"You know Harry," Hermione said, "He might not be so bad, once you get to know him."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry said and went to take another bite of his lunch while his two best friends gave each other knowing looks.  
  
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Once lunch was over with, Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking through the entrance hall towards the stairs that would take them up to Advanced Transfiguration when they were stopped by one of the teachers.  
  
"Harry Potter, may I have a word?"  
  
"Yes, sir, what can I do for you?" Harry asked the centaur.  
  
"I have been star gazing and wanted to warn you of dire circumstances in the near future," Firenze said cryptically, which caused Ron to gulp and Hermione to roll her eyes.  
  
Sheepishly Harry said, "I think I've already been through dire circumstances sir."  
  
"Yes, you have, but they are not yet finished." Then the centaur walked back into his classroom on the first floor and closed the door behind him.  
  
"What do you think that was all about Harry?" asked Ron.  
  
"A load of rubbish if you ask me," Hermione interjected, "Divination is not a precise disciple of magic and shouldn't be taken seriously."  
  
"If it had come from Trelawney, I would agree," Harry said, "But something tells me centaurs are different."  
  
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Taking their seats in the Transfiguration classroom, waiting for the class to begin, Ron begins talking about the upcoming Quidditch season.  
  
"You know Harry," Ron said, "I think we should get started on try outs as soon as possible. We have that game with Slytherin and we need to replace Katie Bell and I really want us to get started on our training as soon as possible."  
  
"We probably should get a new Seeker also."  
  
"WHAT?" both Ron and Hermione said together.  
  
Concerned, Hermione asked, "Why would Gryffindor need a new Seeker Harry? We have you and you're the best."  
  
"I'm thinking of quitting the team. I'm in no condition to play right now," Harry said.  
  
Ron looked horrified, if Harry quit the team, the chances for claiming the Quidditch cup this year fell dramatically.  
  
"You know Harry," Hermione said logically, "You might feel differently if you got out onto the pitch and flew around a bit. You haven't been on your broom since last year and you know how much you love to fly."  
  
Harry half heartedly shrugged in response as Professor McGonagall entered the class room and signaled for everyone to take their seats as class was now going to begin.  
  
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Across the room, Draco Malfoy sat at his desk eavesdropping on the Golden Trio's conversation and thinks, 'Harry wants to quit the Gryffindor Quidditch team? No, that can't be allowed to happen. I've got to think of something that will keep him on the team.'  
  
Moments later Professor McGonagall entered the class room and signaled for everyone to take their seats as class was now going to commence.  
  
During the next hour Draco only half listened to Professor McGonagall begin to lecture the seventh years about human transfiguration as he was lost in his thought formulating a plan to keep Harry on the team.  
  
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After Advanced Transfiguration was over with, Harry made his way back to the infirmary alone. He didn't want to have to deal with Ron being sulky over him quitting the team and both he and Hermione trying their best to talk him out of it. Upon entering the infirmary, Harry sees Healer Lennox sitting at a table looking over a file folder and then looks up when he hears the door open.  
  
"Harry, I was wondering if we could have a talk, just you and me."  
  
Harry nodded to the healer and set his rucksack down beside one the beds in the infirmary. Then together they left the infirmary to take a walk onto the school grounds.  
  
"You know Harry," Healer Lennox began, "I think you and I may have gotten off to a rocky start."  
  
"Why do you say that, sir?" asked Harry curtly.  
  
In an authoritative manner, Healer Lennox said, "Well for one you are treating me like the enemy and not as someone who is here to help you."  
  
"Are you here to help me? If you are, then perhaps you should be asking me questions and not the Headmaster about what is going on in my head."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore is only trying to help you Harry. I would like to help you also."  
  
"Why? Why do you want to help me?" asked Harry in an accusatory way.  
  
Looking straight ahead on the path around the lake they had just gotten on and not at Harry, Lennox said, "What I didn't tell you before in the Headmaster's office are the real reasons I became a mental healer. When I was a young man, about your age in fact, I was hurt very deeply. Back then, people scoffed at boys who said that they were violated sexually. I was in my last year at school here and a Slytherin male, who found out that I liked boys and not girls cornered me one night and decided to teach me a lesson."  
  
Not looking at Healer Lennox, Harry gulped. 'Maybe he will understand after all, maybe.'  
  
"I was helpless against him and he used that to his advantage. He forced me to take off my robes and then he bound me and then performed a curse on me that I had never heard of before," confessed the adult wizard. "You've probably never heard of it before, but the Exoplasitus curse can be a form of torture worse than any of the Unforgivable Curses."  
  
Harry nodded and said, "Yes, I have heard of it."  
  
"You have?"  
  
"Yes, we discussed it in Defense Against the Dark Arts this term," Harry supplied. "We were discussing spells that when used minimally can be beneficial, but when performed too often can become painful or addictive."  
  
"I was never that good at Defense Against the Dark Arts when I was in school. I wish I had been more adept at it, and then maybe I could have known the counter curse for it," Lennox admitted, trying to gain Harry's trust.  
  
"There isn't a counter curse to Exoplasitus," Harry stated. After a small pause, Harry continued, "This term wasn't the first time I ever heard of that curse though."  
  
"It wasn't?"  
  
"No, sir," Harry said, "I heard it over the summer."  
  
"When they had you held captive Harry?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can you tell me how it was used on you?" asked the healer gently.  
  
"I was standing naked in a dark room strapped to a metal bar hanging from the ceiling with my feet strapped together. A man came into the room and performed the Cruciatus curse on me and afterward he laughed at me and then performed a curse I had never heard of before."  
  
"Exoplasitus?"  
  
Harry shuddered at the sound of the word, but managed to nod his head, 'yes.'  
  
"Sorry," Camden Lennox whispered to the Boy-Who-Lived. "I shouldn't have said the name of the curse."  
  
"It's alright, you didn't know," Harry said, but brushed off the healer's hand when it landed on his shoulder. Harry didn't want to be touched just then, he was afraid of having a physical reaction to the touch.  
  
Not appearing to be offended by being brushed off, Healer Lennox clasps his hands behind his back, perhaps to show Harry that he was not going to touch him or perhaps it was a natural action for him to take, Harry didn't know.  
  
"Sir, may I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course you can Harry."  
  
Shakily Harry asked, "How did you get over what happened to you?"  
  
"Honestly?" asked the healer.  
  
Harry nodded in the affirmative.  
  
Bluntly Lennox said, "I locked myself in a room and forced myself to wank off."  
  
Harry blushed at the statement, but managed to ask, "Just like that?"  
  
"Not exactly, I didn't just walk in, pull down my pants and do it. It was seven hours before I could even maintain an erection to do it. It took another two hours to complete and afterward I felt dirty and hated myself and my gender even more. I came close to cutting it off at one point."  
  
Harry gulped, of all the things he had done to himself in the bath; he had never damaged his genitals.  
  
"Don't worry; I think you are handling yourself much better than I was at the time. In fact from what I hear from the Headmaster, you are the strongest young man to walk into the castle in years."  
  
"He said that about me?" asked Harry incredulously. "I was so mean to him."  
  
"He knows you are in pain," Lennox said sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Now can I ask you a very personal question? You don't have to answer it if you don't want to. It may be embarrassing," asked the adult healer tenderly.  
  
"Okay, what is it?"  
  
"Have you had any kind of sexual feeling since your experience this summer?"  
  
Trembling Harry answered, "Kind of."  
  
"Let me rephrase the question, any kind of sexual feeling that you would normally have prior to the experiences from the summer?"  
  
"No, nothing like that," Harry admitted sadly. "Will I ever have them again?"  
  
"Most likely, once you deal with your pain and disassociate your torture and your sexual identity. Right now, they are linked through the violation of your body and your youthful inexperience."  
  
Harry looked sheepish as he realized that they had completed one trip around the lake already.  
  
"I'm not criticizing you Harry, just stating the truth. Care for another trip around the lake or have I exhausted you?"  
  
In truth, Harry did feel better admitting what happened to him, but he also didn't want anymore at the moment. "Can we go in now?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes, we can," Lennox said. "But so that you know, sometimes I won't give you the choice."  
  
"Thanks for the warning," Harry said grimly.  
  
"It's not a warning, but sometimes you will want to pull back and away from me and it will be my job to persuade you into talking, especially about painful memories. It's not meant to be a punishment; I just want to help you."  
  
"I know, I think," sighed Harry, "But I need to get some homework done and I'm feeling very tired at the moment."  
  
"Go ahead, we'll talk again soon."  
  
Then Harry left the mental healer standing by the lake and he went back into the castle and up to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Standing at the shoreline of the lake, Camden Lennox felt the cool breeze blow across his face and with a look of satisfaction on his face he thinks, 'Oh so easy.'  
  
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"Colin?"  
  
Looking up from the study table in the common room Colin watches as his idol, Harry Potter approaches him.  
  
"I was wondering if we could talk for a minute," Harry said.  
  
"Sure, I guess," mumbles Colin as he buries his head back into the book he was studying from.  
  
"I wanted to apologize to you for the other day," Harry began. "I know it had to be very scary for you to admit that … secret to me and I didn't handle it very well. I think I may have hurt you when I did that."  
  
Colin shrugged it off and tried to go back to his studying.  
  
Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Harry went on, "So that you know, I wasn't rejecting you, just sex in general. I am not in a place where sex is something that I can even think about at the moment."  
  
"Why is that Harry?" asked Colin concerned.  
  
"I was held captive over the summer."  
  
"I know I read about it in the Daily Prophet. Did they use the Unforgivable curses on you?"  
  
Harry nodded 'yes.'  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Harry smiled, or at least tried to, "It's not your fault, but I wanted you to know that even though I appreciate what you offered, I'm just not ready to do it yet."  
  
"It's okay Harry, I should've known better than to offer … it … to you," stammered Colin.  
  
"Friends?" asked Harry.  
  
"But just friends," Colin said, "I kind of have someone now."  
  
"Really?" asked Harry, who was relieved.  
  
"Yeah," Colin said with a dreamy look on his face.  
  
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Once again Harry found himself walking through the corridors alone heading back towards the infirmary. As he approached the entrance to the infirmary, Harry once again found Draco Malfoy waiting on him and the smallest of smiles came to the corner of his lips.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said.  
  
"Potter," Draco replied, "I was hoping I would run into you out here."  
  
"Why? Wanting to hex me? Isn't it a bit early in the day for the cloak and dagger routine?" asked Harry lightly.  
  
Smirking Draco said, "It's never too early for it, that's why one wears the cloak, to hide your appearance. However, I wanted to talk to you about Quidditch."  
  
"Quidditch?" asked Harry. "After all these years, I would have thought you already knew how to play the game. What do you want to know about it?"  
  
"Did I hear you correctly today in Transfiguration when you said you were quitting the team?"  
  
Sighing, Harry replied, "That was a private conversation Malfoy."  
  
"File a complaint. Is it true?"  
  
"Yes, Malfoy, I have decided to quit playing," Harry admitted reluctantly.  
  
"No."  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Harry.  
  
"I said 'No' Potter. Do you have problems hearing as well as seeing? You are not quitting the team and that is final," stated Draco plainly.  
  
Confused, Harry said, "Really, I thought you'd be thrilled to not have me playing against you."  
  
Walking towards Harry, Draco stopped a couple of feet from Harry and states plainly, "You are the only competition I have out there Potter. If I win or if I loose, it will not be because you quit, but because I beat you. So get your damned broom and get out there and practice so I can kick your skinny arse all over the pitch." Then Draco turned to walk away.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said which caused Draco to stop and turn back to him.  
  
"Yeah, Potter?"  
  
"Stop looking at my arse."  
  
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While Harry and Draco were having their conversation in the corridor outside the infirmary, Madame Pomfrey and Healer Lennox were having one inside the infirmary.  
  
"Healer Lennox," Pomfrey said as she saw him coming into the infirmary. "What can I do for you tonight?"  
  
"I was just coming in to check up on Potter. We had a talk today and I wanted to make sure he was alright."  
  
"Anything I should look out for?" asked a concerned school nurse.  
  
"I'm not sure, he admitted a few things to me today and I wanted to make sure he wasn't going to harm himself," Lennox admitted.  
  
"The only times Harry Potter harms himself is when he is feeling betrayed and needs to wash away his guilt," Pomfrey said, but stopped herself. "Did you say he was talking about what happened to him over the summer?"  
  
"Madame," Lennox said scandalized, "You know full well I can't talk about things of that nature."  
  
"I didn't ask you to disclose what he said, I asked you to confirm what you said a moment ago," she replied waspishly. No one was going to mess with her patients.  
  
"Yes, he did."  
  
"Good, he deserves to be happy."  
  
Just then the patient in question came into the infirmary looking rather pleased about something.  
  
"Hello," Harry said, not sure if he were interrupting something or not.  
  
"Well, don't you look like the cat that swallowed the canary," the nurse said to him affectionately.  
  
Harry smiled.  
  
"You look like you are feeling better," Lennox said to the Gryffindor.  
  
"A little bit," Harry admitted.  
  
"Do you feel like talking again?" asked Lennox.  
  
Harry stalled for a moment, he was actually feeling more normal than he had in days and didn't want it to end so quickly, "Actually, I have a special project for Professor McGonagall to do tonight, I promised that I would have it done as soon as possible."  
  
Lennox was about to interject, when Dobby came to Harry's rescue.  
  
"Harry Potter is saying he is needing to be working now."  
  
Lennox looked down at the elf distastefully, "I think I know how to treat my patients elf."  
  
Dobby was not happy with the healer at that moment.  
  
"Healer Lennox, I would advise respect when dealing with Dobby, or else you might find yourself on the receiving end of something very nasty," Madame Pomfrey advised.  
  
With a nod of his head, Healer Lennox left the infirmary and Harry headed to his room to sort out his memories of his abduction, leaving the school nurse and the house elf standing there.  
  
"Is something wrong Dobby?"  
  
"I is not knowing Madame Poppy. He is telling Harry Potter many things today. Things that is making Harry Potter feel better."  
  
"But," she prompted.  
  
"He is knowing too many answers to Harry Potter's questions."  
  
Looking skeptical, Pomfrey asks, "Isn't that a good thing Dobby?"  
  
"I is not knowing yet, so I is watching him very closely."  
  
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As Harry sat there in front of the pensieve looking at it and knowing he promised to fill it with the memories of the voice that taunted him for most of August, he wanted very much to run away and not look at the stone basin again, ever. But he had promised and he would always keep his promises if he could. So taking his wand in hand, he began to select different memories and place them in the pensieve.  
  
As Harry watched the different memories in the bowl, they all had one thing in common, they were all pitch black, and not one thing could be seen in them. However, words floated out of the pensieve and Harry had to decide if they were the right ones to allow members of the Order of the Phoenix to listen to. He tried to pick phrases that weren't to revealing as he knew that the odds were good that Mrs. Weasley would be in attendance to this meeting.  
  
After what felt like hours of picking through the memories and replacing some of them back into his mind, Harry stood up and walked over to the mirror, he had a message to give to them before they would listen to the voice of his tormentor.  
  
When he had added that memory also, he called out for "Dobby."  
  
"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"  
  
"Dobby, I need a small favor," Harry said.  
  
"Anything Harry Potter."  
  
"Would you please take the pensieve to Professor McGonagall? She'll know what it is about."  
  
Then the elf popped away with the stone basin in hand.  
  
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Shortly after leaving the infirmary Healer Camden Lennox begins to make his way to his quarters, but instead decides to visit someone else first. To compare notes as it were. Quickly finding his destination and letting himself in Camden Lennox is greeted by an unusual sight.  
  
"Wymer?" asked Lennox, "What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like Cam?"  
  
Lennox stood there in the doorway of the private quarters of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher watching as his good friend, Wymer Toft. Who was currently strapping the hands of a very naked Hogwarts student onto a silver bar that was suspended from the ceiling.  
  
"Having yourself a gay old time," the healer replied as he strode over to the bed where the other two were. Grabbing hold of Toft's face, Lennox plants a very wet and very pronounced kiss on the teacher's mouth.  
  
"Hmmm," Toft moaned into Lennox's mouth. "How'd things go with Potter?"  
  
Alarmed, Lennox shot the boy a look and asked, "What about him?"  
  
"Oh don't mind Colin, I placed a sensory deprivation charm on him. He can't see not hear a thing."  
  
"Just like the one we put on Potter when we had him tied up over the summer? Excellent idea, if she were here, she would be pleased," commended Lennox.  
  
Smirking Toft asks again, "Potter?"  
  
"Oh yes, him," Lennox said with distaste. "I think I have him eating out of my hand with that phony rape story of mine. I think he thinks he's found a friend."  
  
"Stupid kid!" growled Toft nastily.  
  
Changing the subject Lennox asks, "So what about this one?" and points to Colin's naked body as it was suspended from the ceiling. "Is he just for you, or can anyone have a go at him?"  
  
"Be my guest, but I get to watch."  
  
"Of course," said Lennox in agreement. Slowly the mental healer form St. Mungo's removed his robes and under garments as he walks over to the bed where Colin Creevey is waiting for Toft to come and take him. Removing his wand from the pocket of his robes, Lennox points it at the young blonde Gryffindor and chants, "Exoplasitus."  
  
Colin moans wildly under the incantation and his body stiffens from the use of the spell.  
  
"You chose well Wymer, this one is primed for the taking," Lennox said admiringly. Then taking his place behind the sixteen year old, Lennox begins to perform for his friend.  
  
"I have to say Cam, I love to watch a man who knows what he is doing. Just like the night when you took Potter for the first time. Now that was breathtaking."  
  
"He bucked like a wild Hippogriff too, even when he was screaming to be fucked."  
  
"I remember," Toft said lustily. "I think she about popped her corset watching the scene that day."  
  
"Yes, Wymer, that's it, do it more just like that," moaned Colin wantonly.  
  
Smirking Lennox picks up his wand again and says, "Exoplasitus."  
  
The spell causes Colin to start bucking and writhing with all his might at the delight his body was feeling.  
  
"Fun ride isn't he?" asked Toft lazily.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
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Later that night, as Harry was lying in bed, he begins to think about everything that happened in his day, particularly the meeting with Healer Lennox.  
  
"He wasn't such a bad guy after all I guess," Harry says to himself.  
  
Then he remembers something that the therapist said about how he got over his violation.  
  
'Wouldn't hurt to try I suppose,' Harry reasoned to himself. Then Harry made sure that Dobby wasn't in the room and snuck his hand down under the covers of the bed where it found it's way into his pajama bottoms and touched himself.  
  
'So far, so good' thought Harry as he began to touch himself more radically. Harry then let his eyes fall shut and began to allow himself to enjoy what he was trying to do when suddenly a memory from August popped into his head.  
  
"No," gasped Harry and he yanked his hand away from himself quickly.  
  
Rolling over in bed he pulls the covers up close to him and mutters, "I am a good boy, I am a good boy," just as Dobby enters the room.  
  
"Yes, Harry Potter, you's is a good boy."  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
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(1) A Jobberknoll is a small magical bird that is completely mute until the day it dies when it begins to regurgitate every sound it ever heard in reverse order. When it reaches the very first sound it ever heard, it dies. 


	16. Shame

Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation By The Short Fat Fag  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Shame  
  
"Good morning, Albus," said Professor McGonagall as she entered the Headmaster's office carrying his pensieve in her arms.  
  
"Good morning Minerva," he replied cheerfully. "What do you have there?"  
  
"Potter sent this to me last night with Dobby, it's the voices that he heard while he was … well when he was captured," she replied.  
  
Twinkling at the transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore asked, "And have you listened to it?"  
  
"No one said I couldn't," she replied curtly, which only made the Headmaster chuckle.  
  
"That's true Minerva," Dumbledore capitulated. "Did you recognize the voice in there at all?"  
  
"You're right, it does seem familiar, but I just couldn't place it at all. When are you going to show this to the other members of the order?"  
  
"Tonight I think would be best. The faster they listen to the voice, the faster we can apprehend Harry's attackers and he can get over this ordeal."  
  
Professor McGonagall frowned at him and thought, 'Just because his attackers are caught, won't make it easier for Potter to get better."  
  
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Elsewhere in the castle that morning, a very naked and very sore Colin Creevey wakes in the arms of his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and stretches like a cat, trying not wake the older man, without success.  
  
"Morning," Tofts says as he leans over and kisses the Gryffindor's forehead.  
  
"Morning," whispered Colin as he tried to catch the man's mouth with his own, but failed.  
  
"You are very frisky this morning," Toft said as he plants kisses on Colin's nose, cheeks, chin and eyes. In fact he kisses all the parts of Colin's face except his mouth.  
  
Reaching over and grabbing the teacher, Colin replies with a girly giggle, "So are you, I think we should do something about that."  
  
"I suspect you are more than willing to satisfy me this morning, aren't you?"  
  
"Oh, yes sir," breathed Colin as he wraps his legs around the man now on top of him.  
  
Tofts smiles wryly and grabs his wand and performs a lubrication charm on Colin's backside.  
  
"Ooh, its cold," squeals the sixteen year old.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll warm you up again," he replied in a crafty smile and then putting his wand back on the night table, Toft says, "Exoplasitus."  
  
"Yes," breathed Colin wantonly as his body reacted to the word, as no magic was cast with it.  
  
'Already conditioned to the word without the magic, this is so going to be fun,' the teacher thinks as he plunges his organ deep into the soft body of his student.  
  
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About the same time in a private room in the hospital wing of the castle, Harry Potter wakes from a nightmare and bolts upright in his bed. He face is white as a sheet and he is covered in sweat and breathing hard, as if he had been running a marathon in his sleep.  
  
"Harry Potter is you's alright this morning?" asked Dobby concerned.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said somewhat embarrassed. "I just had a dream."  
  
Frightened Dobby asked, "Was it being about He Who Must Not Be Named?"  
  
"Wha …" sputtered Harry, "No, it was something else."  
  
That was what Dobby was afraid of. "Harry Potter, maybe you's should be lying back down again. Maybe you's is needing some rest you's is."  
  
"I have class to go to Dobby, I can't sleep my life away, I have to face it sometime."  
  
Dobby beamed at him proudly, "Then maybe you's is needing to be taking a shower to be getting ready then. I's is getting you's robes ready for you."  
  
Harry started to pull the covers off of him, when he realized something that he doesn't want Dobby to see.  
  
"Uh, Dobby, could you give me a moment alone?"  
  
"Is Harry Potter going to be hurting hisself?"  
  
"NO!" said Harry strongly. Then looking sheepish, he said, "It's something else."  
  
Looking confused Dobby stared at him for a moment, then his eyes went large and a smile came to the elf's face. "Oh, you's is being a teenager." And the little elf popped away.  
  
"Not exactly," Harry said to no one in particular.  
  
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"Ah, Severus, you've come quickly," hissed the dark wizard.  
  
"I live to serve you my lord," the potions master replied as he bent down to kiss the hem of Voldemort's robes. "What service can I render to you this morning my lord?"  
  
"Graceful as ever Severus," hissed Voldemort. "No wonder you were able to keep out of trouble when you were caught after my downfall all so many years ago."  
  
Snape looked up purposefully confused but said nothing.  
  
"I want an update on the Potter boy. I have been sensing some very interesting images from his mind lately and I wanted you to clarify them for me."  
  
"I know very little of the boy these days my lord, he has been kept from me by that damnable little elf."  
  
Laughing at the teacher, Voldemort continued, "Yes, he is an interesting little creature isn't he. When the time comes, I will allow you to torture him any way you see fit. However, what I want to know is if you followed my instructions concerning him and that damned fool Muggle-lover, Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Snape replied as he stood and took his place in the circle of Death Eaters. "Even now, Dumbledore has gathered more information about the boy and he is planning on telling others about it. He had the boy's head of house inquire about his summer activities."  
  
"Hmmm," Voldemort mused, "How is dear Minerva these days?"  
  
Shocked at the question, as the dark lord had never once before mentioned the deputy headmistress of the school, Snape replied, "She is well my lord."  
  
"Still as stiff and unbending as ever I'd wager."  
  
Snape smirked and said, "Yes, she is."  
  
"Enough reminiscing about my school days I think, I have something I want you to do for me Severus," hissed the dark wizard.  
  
"Yes, my lord."  
  
"Potter had some very interesting dreams last night. He was dreaming about his time in captivity again, only it was different this time."  
  
"Different how my lord?" asked the potions master respectfully.  
  
"This time he enjoyed it," Voldemort said amused.  
  
Snape raised an eyebrow to his master shocked.  
  
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Later that morning at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, Draco Malfoy was sitting there eating his breakfast and waiting for Harry Potter to come into the room and join his friends at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Drakie-poo?"  
  
Sighing, Draco responded, "Yes, Pansy, what do you want?"  
  
"To know why you're hanging all over Potter lately and ignoring me," she replied with a pout.  
  
Thinking quickly, Draco answered, "Because my father wants to know what happened to Potter this summer so he can tell …" Draco paused and looked around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation, "Others, who also want to know and use it to their advantage."  
  
"Others?" she asked confused. Then it dawned on her who her Drakie-poo was talking about, "Oh, you mean … others."  
  
Rolling his eyes, "Yes, Pansy, him."  
  
"Well, in that case I guess it's alright," said Pansy as if it had been her idea all along.  
  
"Like either one of us would have a choice if he tells us to do something," Draco replied to her.  
  
"Well, let me know if you need any help, you might need a woman's touch," she purred into his ear.  
  
Looking slightly disgusted, Draco said, "Yeah, I'll do that Pansy." However, what he was thinking was, 'The day you touch him, I'll rip your hide off, you shallow, bleach blonde, little bitch.'  
  
Draco sighed and continued with his breakfast while Pansy clung to his arm.  
  
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As Toft emerged from his shower, he found Colin still sitting on the bed naked.  
  
"Shouldn't you be getting up to Gryffindor Tower?" asked the teacher in mock concern. "You need to get ready for you classes today."  
  
"It won't go down," Colin said meekly.  
  
"Excuse me?" Toft asks, pushing his smirk down so the boy wouldn't see it.  
  
"It won't go down," Colin repeated worriedly.  
  
"Didn't you … well you know, this morning?" Toft asks knowing full well he watched as the boy erupted all over his own stomach.  
  
"Three times."  
  
"Three? I must be getting old; I only remember doing it once this morning."  
  
Embarrassed, Colin admitted, "I wanked off twice while you were in the shower, but it still won't go away."  
  
Sitting on the bed beside Colin, Toft pulls him into his lap and begins to investigate the problem himself.  
  
Colin moaned and said, "Wymer, that's making it worse."  
  
Ignoring the boy in his lap, Toft continued his ministrations of the boy's body which causes him to arch his back in pleasure.  
  
"Yes," Colin moaned more, "That feels so good!"  
  
It didn't take Toft very long to finish the task at hand as it were and was rewarded with an eruption form the Gryffindor. However, once again, the problem didn't go away.  
  
Colin looked down at himself and slumped over defeated, 'Will it ever go down again?' he thought.  
  
Grinning, Toft said, "Well, that's a new one for me, I've never seen that happen before." Though in truth he had seen it happen many times before to many men that he had done this to.  
  
"What am I going to do?" whined Colin. "I can't go to class like this, everyone will see."  
  
"Well," Toft said craftily, "I have an idea, but I don't think you are going to like it."  
  
"I don't care, just do it, I can't go around like this."  
  
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"Ron?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I am beginning to worry, Harry should be down for breakfast by now."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Ron replied equally concerned. "You don't think that thing Firenze warned him about has happened do you?"  
  
"NO!" Hermione said forcefully. "I told you both before Divination is a load of …"  
  
"Yes, I know Hermione, it's just that centaurs are better at it than humans," Ron said. Then taking a deep breath he looks her square in the eye and says, "I don't want anything more to happen to him. I'd rather it happened to me." Then looking back to his breakfast plate, he admitted, "I wished his whole summer had happened to me instead of him."  
  
With very soft and wet eyes, Hermione softly said, "Oh Ron, that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."  
  
"You want to know the biggest difference if it had been me instead of him?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wouldn't have had the strength to survive it."  
  
"Me too," Hermione said sadly.  
  
Just then Harry came walking into the Great Hall and took his seat with his friends at the table. "Morning guys," he said.  
  
"Morning mate," Ron replied cheerily, completely squashing what he had been feeling mere moments before.  
  
"What do we have this morning?" asked Harry as he put a small spoonful of food in his plate, which Hermione snatched away and filled fully with food.  
  
"Well, I don't know about you two," she said bossily, "But I have Arithmancy and Ancient Runes this morning. Then I need to study in the library."  
  
"Ron," Harry asked tenderly, not wanting to get the Head Girl's back side up, "What do we have?"  
  
Smiling Ron said, "Quidditch practice, if you're still on the team that is."  
  
Harry smiled at his two best friends and said, "Brilliant, I need to get out on my broom and fly around again."  
  
"You do?" Ron and Hermione chimed in together.  
  
"You guys were right about me not quitting the team yesterday."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
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When morning classes began, Professor Toft was watching as the third year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws poured into his classroom. He was in a good mood, though he knew for a fact that wherever Colin was in the castle, he was quite miserable, but he had gotten what he asked for, he wasn't erect anymore. That thought brought a bright smile to his face.  
  
When the bell rang that signaled the beginning of class, Professor Toft took his place at the podium and began to lecture about dark creatures to the third years, and today's lecture was about Hinkypunks.  
  
As Professor Toft strolled around the classroom, while the students took notes; he spied a Hufflepuff boy named Stuart Haslett. Toft couldn't help but notice how lovely the boy looked sitting there taking his notes with such concentration. Toft then paused in his walking and lecturing and using his wand conjured an image of a Hinkypunk and projected it onto the wall behind his podium.  
  
While the students were paying attention to the image Toft pointed his wand at the young Hufflepuff and said, "Legimens." A smile quickly found its way to his face as he found what he had been looking for and continued with his lecture as he had before.  
  
'Another student who needs to be tutored privately,' smirked the teacher in his own thoughts.  
  
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Harry had a good day so far, Quidditch practice had been an excellent way to spend his morning and he had actually eaten a good lunch without anyone staring him down. Well a good one for him at any rate. Ron and Hermione had gone off to their separate classes; while Harry made his way to the third floor where he was suppose to meet with Healer Lennox.  
  
Reaching the door to the office, Camden Lennox was occupying, Harry paused and knocked on the door.  
  
"Enter."  
  
Harry walked in and saw Healer Lennox reading an article in what looked like to be a journal of the healing arts that Pomfrey often had in her office.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.  
  
"Come in, have a seat," he said jovially. "How has your day been today?"  
  
"Alright," Harry said, "mostly Quidditch practice."  
  
"Quidditch, I used to love to watch those games when I was in Ravenclaw. I understand that you are the Gryffindor Seeker."  
  
"Yeah, since first year," Harry admitted freely.  
  
"First year?" commented Lennox with false pride, "You must be very good."  
  
"I'm okay, that's all."  
  
"Oh well then, if you're just okay …" Lennox said jovially which caused Harry to blush a bit. "So what else has been going on today? Anything I should know about? Any memories popping back up unexpectedly?"  
  
Sheepishly Harry admitted, "Well, I did have a dream last night about what happened over the summer."  
  
Lennox took a hard look at the Boy Who Lived and asked, "Was it a specific memory of what already happened or were you reliving it as if it were the first time?"  
  
"It was more like an overview, as if I was watching it from far away. Kind of like on television …" Harry stopped himself there and asked, "You do know television is, don't you?"  
  
"Not really," he admitted.  
  
"Well, it was like watching it in a pensieve."  
  
"Ah," the mental said, understanding now. "So what was this dream about?"  
  
"I told you," Harry began, but he was cut off by the healer.  
  
"No, you haven't, you just said it was about what happened over the summer."  
  
Harry got up and began to pace around the room, "Those men that took me, one of them was …" Harry began and looking for the right word paused for a moment. "One of them was touching me."  
  
"Touching you? You mean striking you with the back of his hand?"  
  
"No," Harry said embarrassed as he continued to pace while his arms were wrapped around himself, "Not striking me. It was softer than that, gentler, but rough and crude at the same time."  
  
Unknown to either of them, but Dobby was watching this session very closely and was becoming concerned for Harry, but didn't see the harm in Harry opening up his heart and letting go of his pain.  
  
"So how did you react to this dream?"  
  
Confused Harry stopped pacing and asked, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Did you wake up screaming? Did you continue to sleep and watch it in your mental pensieve? Did you wake up, take a dreamless sleep potion and go back to sleep? What did you do?"  
  
"I woke up sweating," Harry said and began to pace again.  
  
"And," Lennox prompted.  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Harry, I've been on the receiving end of that curse too many often for my liking, but I know if you're hit with enough times, your body becomes conditioned to react certain ways when touched. If you woke up and didn't have a certain reaction I would be worried."  
  
"What kind of reaction?"  
  
"The kind I think you had and are too ashamed to admit to."  
  
Harry looked anywhere but at the healer and said, "I don't know what you are talking about."  
  
"Harry," Lennox said, "Yes, you do."  
  
Getting very upset, Harry didn't want to think about it any more and he walked to the door and swung it open. "I need to go."  
  
"No, Harry, you are staying here."  
  
"I need to go … NOW!" Harry repeated and one of the wall sconces exploded.  
  
Lennox ducked from the explosion and Dobby popped in the hallway and standing at the door.  
  
"Harry Potter is you's alright?"  
  
"No, Dobby, I'm not," Harry said with his voice filled with emotion. "It's not his fault though, it's mine."  
  
"No Harry Potter, it is not being your fault."  
  
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Much later that evening, as the members of the Order of the Phoenix gathered in the kitchen of Number twelve, Grimmauld Place, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were up in the library having an impromptu meeting of their own.  
  
"What do you mean he asked about me?" Minerva McGonagall asked shocked.  
  
"I mean he acted as if he knew you personally," accused Snape. "Why would the dark lord know you by name?"  
  
"Severus," Professor Dumbledore said calmly, "The same year that Tom was the Head Boy at Hogwarts, Minerva was the Head Girl. Even though they were from different houses, they had to work together in their seventh year in their duties."  
  
"That was well over fifty years ago," spat Snape. "Why would he suddenly begin asking about her now?"  
  
"I wouldn't know, but I don't like it one bit," McGonagall snapped waspishly and left the two men in the library as she made her way down to the kitchen for the meeting.  
  
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Several minutes later Dumbledore and Snape came into the kitchen and noticed that McGonagall was sitting away from them looking furious.  
  
'I must remember to have a talk with her later,' Dumbledore thought as he and Snape took seats at the table.  
  
"Now my friends, I am glad so many of you were able to make here tonight," Dumbledore began. "Our Harry has very bravely placed some of his experiences from the summer in my pensieve for us to listen to."  
  
"WHAT?" bellowed Mrs. Weasley the moment she heard him. "You made Harry relive his torture from the summer to show to us? What were you …" however, she was cut off at this point, just before she got her stride going by the Headmaster.  
  
"Molly, calm yourself, Harry volunteered this information for us."  
  
"Are we going to have to watch it like you did before?" asked Tonks nervously. "You promised him."  
  
"And I intend on keeping that promise," Dumbledore said pointedly. "These are different memories that Harry has placed in here this time. This time it is just the disembodied voice of the people who held him captive. As many of you know, he was kept in near darkness almost the entire time he was held captive, so these memories will be in an oral form."  
  
Then the Headmaster tapped his wand in the glowing liquid and the voices began to fill the air.  
  
As the various members of the Order sat there listening to the voices, some of them were sickened by what they heard, some of them were touched by Harry's strength to survive this and others just wanted to run from the meeting and not look back.  
  
When the memories ended, Mrs. Weasley sat in the corner between her husband and their eldest son, Bill. "Oh Harry," she wept in to her handkerchief.  
  
"Now," Dumbledore said clearly, "Does anyone recognize that voice? I can play it again, if you need to hear it."  
  
Many of the members had no idea who the voice belonged to and Hagrid, who was sitting in the back of the room weeping himself for the boy he had come to love dearly, was looking around at Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall completely confused.  
  
Professor McGonagall spoke to them and said, "Now you aren't required to name someone this moment, but if you should happen to recognize the voice later, be sure to contact Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape or myself about it."  
  
"Wha' ya' mean ya don' know who it is?" asked Hagrid.  
  
"Hagrid?" asked Dumbledore, "Do you recognize that voice?"  
  
"Sure I do, why don' you? That's that new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher you hired while I was off in France. What's his name, the rude one."  
  
"Wymer Toft?" asked Snape. Who quickly took out his wand and waved it over the pensieve again, causing the words to come alive and fill the air once more.  
  
"Merlin's Ghost!" said Snape, "He's right. How could we have missed that?"  
  
Dumbledore, who was looking rather pale at that moment, said, "I think it would be prudent if we returned to the castle right now."  
  
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review  
  
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I wanted to thank the following people for reading and reviewing my chapter, I really appreciate it.  
  
Bluetattingman, Miss Lesley, Miss V, Monica85, sami1010220 and WinterBliss. 


	17. Dobby's Confrontation

**Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation**

By The Short Fat Fag

**Chapter Seventeen – Dobby's Confrontation**

"Mr. Haslett," said Professor Toft happily, "how nice of you to come to my office this evening."

"You told me to, sir," the Hufflepuff replied timidly.

Smiling sweetly at the boy, "Yes, I did do that didn't I?"

"What did you want to see me about sir?"

"Well, young man, if you don't mind me being blunt with you, I couldn't help but notice how lonely you seem to be in class. I thought you might like to talk about it to someone who would understand."

Shocked, the student stood there and asked, "How did you know that sir?"

"I'm a teacher Mr. Haslett… Stuart, we're trained to watch for those signs and to help when we can," the Defense teacher said supportively. "Why don't we go into my sitting room and have a nice little chat."

Gulping the boy says, "Okay sir."

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Earlier in the evening, Dobby had insisted that Harry go to Gryffindor Tower and spend time with his friends and work on missed assignments from his teachers. At first Harry was reluctant to go after the session he had with Healer Lennox, but Dobby was insistent, so he went.

Now Dobby is popping around the infirmary cleaning and tidying things up when he hears another house elf pop into the room and turns to investigate.

"Dobby? Where is you's Dobby?"

"I is being here Corky," Dobby replied. "Is you's having news from the old crowd?"

Corky hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes, I's does. They's is listening to the voices Harry Potter is sending them and they is identifying the man who'ses being in it."

Dobby's eyes became huge and he asked, "Who'ses is it being?"

"Professor Toft," whispered Corky fearfully.

"I is knowing he's is being a bad wizard," Dobby said angrily and popped out of the room.

Standing there alone Corky says to himself, "I's is glad I's is not being him tonight."

"Albus?" asked Minerva McGonagall. "Do you think it wise for everyone to charge the castle?"

"Why do you say that, Minerva?"

"Professor Toft," the transfiguration teacher says with distaste, "may become suspicious and escape."

"True, but he most likely does not think we suspect him or else he wouldn't have been bold enough to apply for the Dark Arts position. No I think we may end up needing a larger number of order members in order to subdue him. Besides," the Headmaster explained, "from the looks on everyone's face here tonight, I don't think I could keep them away."

"What are we waiting for then, Harry could be in danger, let's get going," bellowed Mrs. Weasley and then everyone apparated away.

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Dobby popped into the common room of Gryffindor Tower and sees that Harry is at one of the study tables with Hermione reviewing her transfiguration notes. Seeing Ron playing wizard's chess with his sister Ginny, Dobby quickly goes over to them to ask a favor. Well, he kind of asks for a favor.

"I is needing Harry Potter's Weazy to be helping now and you's is doing it," Dobby said matter of factly.

"Well," Ginny said with a giggle, "I guess you've been drafted tonight."

Looking at the sixth year girl, Dobby says, "You's is doing it also." Then turning back to Ron the house elf continues, "I is needing you to be keeping Harry Potter very busy and very protected tonight."

"Is You-Know-Who coming?" asked Ron fearfully.

"No, it is not being He-Who-Must-Not-Being-Named," replied Dobby and as he looked over at Harry to make sure he wasn't listening, he finished, "It is being bad wizards from the summer."

Ron blanched and asks, "In the castle?"

"Yes, he is being in the castle right now, he's is and you's is taking care of Harry Potter you's is or else you's is dealing with Dobby!"

"Alright Dobby," Ron said, taking out his wand, "Let's go get him."

"No, Weazy is taking care of Harry Potter and is keeping him busy. Dobby is dealing with bad wizards. Dobby is not wanting Harry Potter and his friends to be seeing what Dobby is doing to bad wizards."

Ginny quickly jumped in and says, "Alright Dobby, we'll take him to the Room of Requirement for a D.A. meeting. That should keep us busy for a couple of hours."

"That is being good, Missy Weazy," Dobby says and pops away again.

Quickly putting the chess pieces away, Ron and Ginny get up from the table and make their way over to where Harry and Hermione are studying and plop down into two vacant chairs.

"Hey guys."

"Hey," Harry responds pleasantly, "Have you come to rescue me from Hermione?"

The Head-Girl gives her best friend a mock glare of disapproval that causes him to smile. That smile pleases her greatly, as they have been few and far between this term.

"Actually, we have," Ron says with a grin. This earned him a real glare from Hermione.

Ginny giggles at the two and continues for Ron, "Yeah Harry, we were kind of hoping you'd go with us to the Room of Requirement and tutor us in Defense Against the Dark Arts tonight."

"Yeah mate, you've met Toft. He's a right idiot and besides we always learn better from you. You make it easy to learn," Ron said. Then he added; "Besides I really need to do well on my N.E.W.T.'s."

"Isn't it awfully short notice for everyone in the other houses? They may be busy," Harry asked, thinking of their study habits.

"Who said we are inviting them?"

"RON!" Hermione said sternly. "Harry's right, it wouldn't be fair to everyone in the castle."

Ron was about to argue with her, when Ginny suddenly said, "Hermione is there something wrong with Crookshanks? He looks like he is throwing something up over there."

Concerned for her Kneazle, Hermione and Ginny go to investigate while Ron talks more with Harry.

"Come on Harry, if I were smart I'd do it for you."

Sighing, Harry quickly defends his best mate, "You are smart Ron, and you're way better than I am at chess and History of Magic and your tons better at being a Keeper than I would be. I'd be terrible at it."

Ron smiled and was about to say something when Hermione and Ginny reappeared. Quickly Hermione says, "Come on Harry, Ron's right we need to practice in the Room of Requirement."

Stunned, Harry asks, "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well, I've never produced my Patronus with a Dementor around like you have and I think that the room can re-create one for us, but we need you there because you've actually faced one before."

"Well, if you think so Hermione, but I think we should at least give everyone a chance to work with them," Harry said fairly.

"No, Harry," Hermione reasoned, "I want to see if we can do it right, before we spring it on the others. The room may not be able to do it. It wouldn't be fair to everyone if we failed to simulate one and they came all that way for nothing, now would it?"

"I guess you're right," agreed Harry. "Come on, let's go."

As Harry got up and gathered his things, Ron and Ginny mouthed a 'Thank you' to Hermione for her quick thinking. Smugly she smiled back at them; she wasn't Head Girl for nothing.

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Sitting together in his private quarters, Professor Toft, who currently has his hand on Stuart Haslett's shoulder pretending to be caring and compassionate, is listening to the young Hufflepuff talk about his home life when a small and unassuming looking house elf pops into the room.

"Professor Toft, I is needing to be speaking with you's I is."

Not happy to be interrupted, Toft turns to the elf and says grumpily, "Not now, can't you see I'm with a student right now?"

"Yes, I is seeing that, but I is still needing to be talking to you's now," insisted the elf.

"Can't it wait until later?" asked the Defense teacher as he ran his hand through Stuart's hair silkily, which caused the boy to shudder and look away.

Looking at the boy, the elf is suddenly reminded of Harry Potter and the way he looked after being forced to remember bad things and anger began to fill the elf's eyes. "No, I isn't waiting, I isn't! You's isn't going to being touching this good boy and making him feel bad things. You's is going to be paying for all the other good boys you is touching in bad ways!"

With wide eyes of astonishment the third year boy quickly realizing what the elf is talking about and jumps up and moves away from his teacher unable to speak. The elf quickly hops over to the boy and takes by the hand and leads him to the door.

"You's is being a good boy you's is. You's is not needing to being ashamed, you's isn't. But, I's is thinking that is being time for good little boys to be going off to their common rooms now."

Without needing to be told twice Stuart ran out of the room and down the corridor towards the Hufflepuff common room.

Then turning back to the wizard who had gotten to his feet and had drawn his wand, the elf says to him through narrowed eyes, "Is you's going to be making this easy or is you going to be making this hard?"

Without an answer, Toft sends a slashing curse towards the elf, who caught it in his hand and sent it back to the wizard, where is struck true to it's target. Fall to the floor, the slashing curse covered Toft's face and chest, making several deep cuts on them.

"Oh good," the elf maliciously, "Dobby was hoping that you's was wanting to be making this hard."

Then with a snap of his fingers, all hell just broke loose at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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Unknown what was happening several floors below, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all standing in the Room of Requirement looking at the Dementor facsimile that the room had provided them. All four Gryffindors had a different look on their faces. Harry looked deep in thought, Hermione beamed happily, Ginny was frowning slightly and Ron, well he was trying his best not to fall over laughing.

"Ron, this is not funny," Hermione said importantly. "This is a serious training session about dealing with Dementors and we need to be serious and adult about this. What if we should come across one like Harry did in fifth year? This training would be very important to us."

However, instead of having the desired effect of sobering the red head up, he fell to the floor cackling like an idiot, followed shortly by his younger sister.

"Oh you two," said a disapproving Hermione and stamping her foot. "You don't see Harry falling over making an idiot of himself do you?"

However, the Head Girl was not looking at the Boy Who Lived at that very moment and did not see his emerald green eyes twinkling with amusement nor his hand covering his mouth. However, Ron and Ginny did see this.

"Yes, we do," they said together and pointed.

Hermione turned to see Harry shaking with mirth, which again pleased her to no end, but she didn't let on. "Harry, you're as bad as Ron."

"Hermione," Harry said while trying to keep the smile from his face, "The Dementor is only six inches tall, it's not very scary you know."

Looking down at the tiny Dementor she did admit, "Yes, it is a bit lacking, but I'm sure that with practice, the room can make a better one later."

"Hermione," Ron said through fits of laughter, "I … don't even think … a mouse would be scared of that."

This caused Harry to shake even harder trying not to laugh, which is until … BOOM. A large explosion occurred somewhere in the castle.

"What was that?" asked Ginny.

"I have no idea," replied Harry, "my scar isn't burning, so Voldemort isn't near, but it could be Death Eaters. We should go and see."

"No Harry," Hermione said earnestly, "We should stay here."

"Hermione," Harry said desperately, "We can't let the teachers face Death Eaters all alone." And then he disappeared through the door and down the corridor.

Quickly the other three followed with wands drawn.

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As Dumbledore and the other members of the Order of the Phoenix arrive at the castle, he orders them to split up and search for Professor Toft.

"Everyone, I have no idea where he will be in the castle. So I want you to split up into teams no smaller than two and search for him. Minerva, Severus and I will begin with his office and quarters to see if he is there. Remember, he is very good at dueling and apparently is experienced at various forms of torture, so be careful and consider him highly dangerous."

Nodding, the various members' pair up and take to different parts of the castle seeking out the man who hurt the Boy-Who-Lived.

A few minutes later as the three teachers were walking down towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts corridor, they heard a load explosion of some kind. Momentarily shocked by the sound that seemed to coming from the teacher's private quarters, the three raced towards the door to his private quarters, when suddenly Wymer Toft is crashing through the heavy wooden door of his classroom and slams into the stone wall on the opposite side of the corridor and the hall is filled with Dobby's screaming voice…

"**YOU'S IS BEING A BAD WIZARD YOU'S IS AND YOU'S IS NOT HARMING HARRY POTTER EVER AGAIN YOU'S ISN'T!"**

As the three teachers stood there watching who they assumed was Wymer Toft sliding down the wall. He had been severely transfigured into some very odd things by Dobby and was no longer completely recognizable. Dobby appeared in the corridor and snapped his fingers towards the semi-conscious wizard, who then floated up and began to be smacked repeatedly against the stone wall.

"Dobby," Professor Dumbledore said strongly, "You must stop this immediately."

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"Come on guys, it's just up ahead," Harry said as he and the others were running towards the source of the explosion. As the four Gryffindors rounded the corner they saw Dobby standing in the hallway with this arm pointed at the limp form of someone they couldn't recognize as he slid down the wall into a great heap on the floor.

Harry stopped immediately as soon as he heard Dobby scream those fateful words.

"It was him after all," Harry whispers to himself. "I was him."

"It was who Harry?" Hermione asks curiously. However, before she could get an answer out of him, Dobby had already sprung back into action and was bouncing the man around the corridor like a rag doll.

"Whoa," Ron said, "Thank goodness that isn't us."

"Yeah," Harry said and began to approach the scene being played out in front of him and listened to what was going on.

"No, I's isn't stopping, I isn't," replied Dobby to Dumbledore. "Bad wizard is hurting Harry Potter and bad is paying he is."

"Dobby," Harry said quietly as he approached.

Spinning around to see who called to him, the little elf was horrified to see that Harry was there, when he had tried so hard to make sure he wouldn't know that the bad wizard was in the castle.

"Harry Potter, you's in not suppose to being here, you's isn't. You's is needing to be going back to you's studying, you's is."

Putting his wand away, Harry stops in front of the house elf. "Dobby, is that the man who held me captive this summer?"

"Yes, it is being him, Harry Potter."

Swallowing, Harry then asks, "Did you do this to him?"

"Yes, I's is doing that, Harry Potter."

"Good."

Becoming a little frightened, Dobby asks, "Is Harry Potter being angry with Dobby?"

"No," Harry replies softly.

"What is we doing with him now, Harry Potter?"

"Dumbledore will take care of that now."

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Sometime later in Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster and several key members of the Order of the Phoenix have gathered to interrogate the former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Ah, Severus, did you bring it?"

"Yes Headmaster, I have it here," replied the Potions Master as he handed the older wizard a small vial of Veritaserum.

Bending down to the unconscious man, Dumbledore pulls his head back and drips three drops of the potion into his mouth. Then standing once again, he takes out his wand and says, "Ennervate."

Slowly the transfigured face of Wymer Toft comes to life and he opens his eyes.

"Wymer Toft?" the Headmaster asks.

"Yes."

"Are you the one responsible for the abduction of Harry Potter last August?"

"No."

"No?"

"That is correct," said the former teacher in a monotone voice.

"Who is responsible for that?"

"She is."

"She? Who is this 'she'?"

Suddenly the prisoner began to convulse in pain, unable to answer the question.

"Stop," Professor Dumbledore said sternly. "I withdraw the question."

Toft calmed immediately.

"How many people were involved in Harry Potter's abduction and torture?"

"Seven men and her. We raped the boy repeatedly at her command. He was a fine specimen of boyhood and gave us all a simply delightful fu…"

"STOP!" bellowed the Headmaster and the prisoner stopped speaking.

"Who were these other men?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why is that?" asked the Potions Master, curious to know how someone could defy his truth serum.

"I do not know their names. We each had a code name for the operation in case one of us was caught. In doing so, we could not betray the others."

"This woman who is the leader, why did she want to abduct Harry Potter?"

"Her reasons are her own and she did not share them me. However, I do know that she loathes Potter and wanted to break him and leave him in the tender care of those who love him the most. She wanted them to suffer from not being able to help him. However, the boy refused to be broken completely and she was forced to place the seven of us in positions where we could do the most damage to him later on."

"Are the other six men close to Harry Potter now?"

"Yes."

"How close?"

Then a smile crept across the face of Wymer Toft and he answered, "Closer than you think."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

I wanted to thank the following people for reading and reviewing my chapter, I really appreciate it.

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	18. Secrets That Lay Naked

**Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation**

By The Short Fat Fag

**Chapter Eighteen – Secrets That Lay Naked**

The next morning Dumbledore called Harry to his office early. The Headmaster was sitting at his desk reading his latest correspondence from the Ministry of Magic when he heard a knock on his door.

"Ah Harry, so glad to see you this morning, I trust you are feeling well today."

"I suppose," Harry replies with Dobby standing behind his leg cautiously looking between them.

Seeing the look of apprehension on his student's face, Dumbledore decides that the direct course may be the best way to go this morning. "Harry, why don't you have a seat while was talk about what happened last night. I know it must have been a shock to you to discover that Wymer Toft was one of your captors, but I wanted to let you know that he has been taken from the castle early this morning after a thorough interrogation by myself, Professor Snape and other members of the Order."

"That's nice, I suppose."

Both Dumbledore and Dobby shot Harry looks of concern at his lack of emotion this morning.

"Harry?" asked Dumbledore tenderly.

"It doesn't matter, I didn't like him anyway, he wasn't a very good teacher," Harry said in a monotone. "I guess this means that I have to go and see Healer Lennox this morning also?"

"Actually, I don't believe that would be in everyone's best interests just yet, Harry."

Harry actually looked stunned and was beginning to show some form of emotion now. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you see," the Headmaster began slowly, not really wanting to explain, but knowing he had to, "A few hours ago, we learned that you are not the only student that Wymer Toft has abused and I've asked Healer Lennox to attend to them first and he agreed."

"How many others?" asked Harry with concern written on his face, which pleased Dumbledore greatly as he was seeing a glimmer of the Harry Potter he remembered.

"Two other students, a sixth year boy and a third year boy," Dumbledore replied. "Luckily for Mr. Haslet that Dobby decided to punish Wymer Toft when he did, or else the damage to him may have been severe. Luckily, he hadn't done much more than try to seduce the poor boy."

Dobby looked ashamed of what he had done and hid behind Harry's chair so that he could purposefully stub his toes into the floor, trying to punish himself.

"Dobby, please stop that," Harry admonished. "I told you already that you did the right thing last night."

"Yes, Harry Potter," the elf replied and stopped his self punishment.

Twinkling, the Headmaster continued, "Well, I see that you both quite protective of each other."

Harry just shrugged and asked, "So what happened to the other boy?"

"He refuses to admit that anything wrong was done to him, which concerns me greatly, as I could tell that he was in a great deal of physical discomfort when I spoke to him earlier this morning. So I've asked Poppy to give him a thorough examination today. However, from the extensive details that we extracted from Wymer Toft about what he did to both you and him, his abuse rivals your own."

Harry sighed. 'Someone went through what I did,' Harry though bitterly to himself.

Sensing what he was thinking, Dumbledore says, "I do not believe that you and he shared the exact same experiences. From what we gathered last night, you fought against your torture and refused to become broken by it, even when your body was responding, your spirit was still defiant. However, the other boy allowed himself to indulge in the pleasures that the curses brought. His reactions to the pleasure curse where the ones your captors wanted you to go through and as a result, we are afraid he has become addicted to the curse."

"How do you know that I'm not addicted to it as well?" asked the raven haired Gryffindor, not really wanting to know the reason why, but felt he should.

"Have you cast the Exoplasitus curse on yourself or asked anyone else to cast it on you?"

Harry shuddered at the sound of the curse briefly and then shook his head, 'no.'

Smiling, Professor Dumbledore says, "That's how I know."

Harry begins to say something, but the Headmaster cut him off, changing the subject, "Now it seems that we are once again without a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am becoming concerned that maybe the post is jinxed after all, as I can't even keep it filled for half a term." Then smiling and with a twinkle in his eye, he continues, "You wouldn't happen to know of anyone who could fill the position do you?"

"Why are you asking me sir?"

"Well, according to Minerva, you have decided to not become an Auror after all and that does leave the career possibilities open for you doesn't it?"

"They won't take me anyway, not like I am now," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Harry," Dumbledore says fatherly, "any organization in the world would be proud to have you as a member. You have much to offer and to contribute. The Aurors would be foolish to turn down your application."

"But …"

"Many Aurors have gone through worse than you Harry and others have gone though quite a bit less. I think that you would fit in there quite well."

"I still need potions and I will not go near Snape again," Harry said defiantly.

"Professor Snape," the Headmaster quietly correctly.

"Don't correct me, he gets what he deserves and has earned."

Sighing Dumbledore continues, "Severus was working on my orders Harry, if your going to be angry with anyone then it should be me."

"I am angry with you," Harry said as a matter of fact. "However, you never answered my question."

"Which question was that?"

"Why were you asking my opinion about the Defense Against the Dark Arts post?"

Smiling once again, the Headmaster replies, "Well Harry, I was wondering if you would like to be the temporary teacher while I look for someone else to cover the position."

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"Mr. Creevey," Healer Lennox says as he bumped into him in the hallway, "I've been looking for you this morning."

"You have sir?"

"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore informed me this morning that Professor Toft was apprehended last night for abusing students and he asked me to set an appointment to talk to you about it."

"That's okay, sir, I think you may have the wrong student."

"No, I do not believe so," Healer Lennox said with a slight sneer on his face. "Professor McGonagall has excused you from classes today and you are to come to my office after breakfast so that we can discuss the abuse you went through with Professor Toft."

Then Healer Lennox strode away leaving Colin to his thoughts.

'Why did they have to take him away from me?' thought Colin Creevey with a hint of despair. 'He was the only man who ever loved me.'

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Sitting in his wing back chair, Lord Voldemort opens the morning edition of the Daily Prophet and looks at the morning headline, **_'Hogwarts Teacher in Azkaban for the Brutal Rape of Harry Potter!'_**

"Well, Bellatrix my dear," hissed the dark wizard, "It seems we now know who attacked Harry Potter this summer and the fools have placed him in the one place where it would be the easiest for me to reach out and take him."

Looking for her beloved master's shoulder Bellatrix LeStrange read the headline and smirked, "Wee baby Potter, finally got what was coming to him." Then the cold hearted witched laughed mercilessly. "Perhaps, he is even broken now having the world knows his shame."

"Perhaps, Bella, perhaps," hissed Voldemort, "However with Potter, that which does not destroy him, only serves to make him stronger and I do not want him becoming stronger."

"But surely my lord, this can't possibly make that brat any stronger than he thinks he is already?"

"I wonder," the dark lord began, but was cut off when waves of pain struck him and he fell out of his chair unto the floor screaming in agony.

"MY LORD?" screamed Bellatrix in concern.

"Not to worry Bella, it seems Harry Potter just read the morning edition."

"Is there anything I may do for you my lord?"

"Yes, bring me Wormtail, I have a job for him."

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In the Great Hall of Hogwarts, students were sitting at the house tables eating breakfast. Well everyone that is except for Harry Potter, he had put a little bit of food on his plate, but Hermione has once again taken it from him and began to pile it full of food.

"You know Hermione, I am able to fill my own plate with food in the mornings," Harry said irritably.

"Really? I have yet to see you do it all term," she replied smugly and continued to pile food in.

Ron, Neville and Ginny sniggered at him as the Head Girl set the plate back down in front of him.

"You know mate," Ron said sagely, "it's best to not argue with her."

Rolling his eyes, Harry mutters, "I know."

"Where were you this morning Harry?" Ginny asks. "We went by the infirmary to walk with you, but you weren't there."

"I had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore this morning, about last night."

"And …" Hermione said, as the others sat stock still waiting for the response.

"Well, he thinks that I shouldn't give up on being an Auror."

"Well, he's right you know. You make a good one, so I think you should go to Professor Snape and ask to be let back into the class," the Head Girl said quite bossily.

"Hermione, give it a rest, he doesn't want to have classes with Snape," Ron said in his defense.

"Well, I could do that," Harry said slyly. "However, I don't think I could handle that if I decide to start teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

"What?" the other four Gryffindors said together.

It was about this time when the post owls arrived with their daily mail. Everyone looked up including Harry. Not that he had been expecting anyone to write him a letter, but he was expecting Hedwig to come down and visit him. She often did that in the morning to make sure he was alright. However, this morning she is no where to be seen and Harry returns to his breakfast when an owl lands in front of him with the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. After paying the bird a knut it takes off again and Harry takes a drink of his orange juice before opening the paper to read it.

Hermione, who had already opened her copy of the paper, gasps loudly and spits her juice all over the front page.

"Harry mate, mind if I have a look at your paper?" Ron asks. "Gee thanks," he continues before Harry could reply and snatches the paper away.

"What's wrong?" demands Harry and tries to get his paper back so he can look at it, however, Ron keeps it out of his reach. Giving up on his taller mate, Harry switches to Hermione, "What does the paper say Hermione?"

"You know I think that we should go somewhere else and discuss this Harry," Hermione says quickly and tries to pull him from the Great Hall with Ron's help.

However, before anyone could get up from the Gryffindor table, Pansy Parkinson, from the Slytherin table, stands up and screeches, "So Potter, I see from the headlines in the Prophet that you like it rough. Tied up in leather and pretending to be raped and tortured."

Harry blanched and froze in mid action as still as the grave. 'She did not say that,' he thought madly. 'How would she know about that?'

However, Pansy continued, "Yeah Potter, it says that you spent all of August learning to be a proper little bitch to Toft and his friends. Who knew that the Boy-Who-Lived would love being such a bottom?"

Harry stood there and began shaking as memories of his captivity began to flood his mind and it became all he could do not to fall to the ground and weep. However, when he felt someone touch his arm to support him, his body reacted to the touch in a physical manner and feeling his penis stiffen, Harry becomes frightened and deeply humiliated.

"Harry," Ron began, but before he could say another thing, Harry wrenched himself out of everyone's grasp and bolted from the Great Hall wildly, with Pansy Parkinson's screeching laugh filling the corridors. Then without a moment's hesitation, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville run after him from the Gryffindor table along with Luna Lovegood from the Ravenclaw table.

As Pansy stood there laughing herself silly, she failed to notice over half of the teachers at the head table staring daggers at her, nor all of the members of the D. A. and a very large number of students of Gryffindor House, Hufflepuff House and Ravenclaw House staring at her with loathing nor worst of all, Draco Malfoy seething with pure hatred as he stared at her.

No, Pansy Parkinson missed all of that, but not for long.

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"Harry!" Hermione called after him as they chased after him. However, he didn't seem to hear them.

"Harry, wait up mate," bellowed Ron to his best friend. "We only want to help."

However, Harry didn't seem to hear them. Either that or he was ignoring them. In any event Harry Potter was tearing through the corridors of the castle heading for one place and one place only, the infirmary.

Ron and Neville soon outdistanced the girls; they each had grown up and were both tall young men with long legs. Unfortunately when they could finally catch up to Harry, he was already in the infirmary and had just closed the door to his private room when they reached it.

"Damn it," swore Ron when he tried to open the door and it wouldn't budge.

"What's going on here?" demanded Madame Pomfrey. "Why are you all running in my infirmary?"

Just then Hermione, Ginny and Luna reached the outer doors to the hospital wing huffing and puffing from their run and Hermione had a hand to her side trying to sooth out a stitch.

"Did (huff) you (huff) read (huff) the prophet (huff) this morning?" asked Hermione in between gasps for breath.

"No, I haven't yet," answered the school nurse. "Why?"

Ginny continued at this point, being more athletic than the Head Girl was more used to physical exertions, "The front page was a huge article about what happened to Harry his summer, in full detail."

"Oh dear," whispered Madame Pomfrey, then she called for "Dobby!" However, when the house elf failed to appear before her, she thought, 'He must be in with Potter already.'

Moments later, Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick came bursting into the room.

"Poppy, how is Harry?"

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"Oh Pansy?" drawled Draco in a sing song voice that would have rivaled Luna Lovegood any day of the week.

Turning to him, Pansy took on an overly girly tone and replied, "Yes, Drakie Poo?" and then took hold of him arm possessively.

"That was quite a performance this morning wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was wasn't it? Did you like it Drakie?"

Smirking, Draco replied, "Actually no, I didn't."

Shocked, Pansy says, "But why not Drakie? Potter has it coming thinking that he is so high and mighty and better then we are."

"Do you know what you just did?" asked Draco with a cold stare in his eyes. "In one moment you've ruined all the work I put into Potter, to get him to open up to me so I could get his secrets for the Dark Lord."

"But it was all in the papers this morning Drakie, you don't have to fool with him any longer."

Sighing at her sheer stupidity, Draco replies, "Did you hear the Dark Lord say that Pansy?"

"Well … no, I didn't."

"Do you think he'll take that for an excuse as to why my work for him has been delayed? 'Pansy said I shouldn't fool with him anymore?' What do you think he'd say to that?"

Pansy gulped loudly and looked stricken. What had she done?

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Sitting in the corner of his room, Harry Potter was slowly crawling into the back of his own mind. The brave Gryffindor in him was slowly being conquered by his suddenly growing need to not be seen by others and to pretend that no one in the world knew the things he wished kept secret.

'They had no right to put that in the prophet,' thought Harry bitterly. 'Why do they always have to pry into my personal life?'

Harry was brought out of his musings for a moment why the pounding of his door. However, it was not enough to keep him from them. All he had left was his thoughts now, or so he led himself to believe and paranoia is not the best of company when one is hurting.

"Harry? Can you hear us? Let us in," came a muffled cry from outside his door.

Whether or not Harry heard this plea for admittance is not known, as he had already fallen into the darkness that only despair can bring.

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"Oh I just can't stand this," Hermione said as she stamped her foot in frustration. "Is there no way to open that door?"

"We are trying Miss Granger," the Headmaster replied sadly.

"You know Albus, I think that Potter has used a locking charm with a cascading sequence," squeaked Professor Flitwick excitedly. "I must remember to award Gryffindor House points for this. This is very remarkable magic."

"Filius, as much as I would like to see my house gain points, how does this help us get to Potter?" asked Professor McGonagall impatiently.

"It doesn't actually Minerva, buy understanding the problem, will help us solve it," explained the Charms teacher. "It seems that Potter has used a series of locking charms, but he has somehow added the cascading effect that I mentioned earlier."

"What does that mean Filius?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"It means that we have to figure out which charm was used in which sequence in order to unlock the door."

"And if we should perform a counter charm out of sequence?" the Headmaster asked with interest.

"Then the sequence resets itself and the order of the locking charms is scrambled and we have to start all over again," explained the tiny professor excitedly.

"You see Hermione, Harry and I do listen in class," Ron said in mock triumph, trying to alleviate his and Hermione's worries.

"Well, Harry does at any rate," the Head Girl replied scathingly. "How does that help us now?"

Before anyone could answer her question, Neville, who was getting tired of this debate, especially as Harry could be doing something drastic to himself again, pulls out his wand from it's holster and calmly says, "Everyone, move! NOW!"

The group turns to look at the Gryffindor with wide eyes and then as one moves out of the way and Neville performs the blasting curse on the door.

However, when the spell hits the door, it shimmers and bends to the force of the magic, but soon rebounds with a snap sending the blasting curse right back at Neville. Thinking quickly the boy jumps aside to the floor and the spell hit the wall behind him, shattering the stone and leaving a gaping hole to the morning sky.

"Well, Longbottom," sneered Draco Malfoy from the double doors leading to the corridor, "that was unexpected. Well, at least from you."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

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I wanted to thank the following people for reading and reviewing my chapter, I really appreciate it.

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	19. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation**

By The Short Fat Fag

**Chapter Nineteen – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back**

"Mr. Malfoy is there some medical reason you are in my infirmary?" asked the impatient school nurse upon the Slytherin's arrival.

"Oh not really, I've just come to see what the commotion was this morning at the Gryffindor table," drawled Malfoy lazily.

Professor McGonagall looked at the Head Boy sternly and said, "If that is the case Mr. Malfoy, I think your _talents_," and she used that word tactfully, "could be better served by dealing with the commotion I am sure is taking place in the Great Hall as we speak." As she spoke she started towards Malfoy to escort him from the infirmary.

However, at that same moment Dobby the house elf popped into the main ward.

"No, he's is staying he's is," announced the house elf and snapped his fingers. Then before anyone could say anything to him he popped out again.

The stern transfiguration teacher looked to the Headmaster, who looked as confused as she felt and then taking the Head Boy by the arm started to go out the double doors only to find that were sealed shut by elf magic.

"Albus?"

"It seems that our little friend wishes Mr. Malfoy to remain among us this morning Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said passively. Then with a chuckle he continued, "And judging by the way he has dealt with Severus in the past, we would be most wise to agree with him."

Remembering the last time the potions master had a run in with the elf brought a half smile to her face, but Professor McGonagall did not wish to be on the receiving end of something similar and released the Slytherin and said, "Alright Mr. Malfoy, you seem to be invited to participate here, but do try to keep out of everyone's way."

"Yes sir," the Head Boy replied silkily.

However, Professor McGonagall either didn't hear the slight insult or chose to ignore it as returned to the problem of getting into Harry's room.

"I think I have it," squeaked Professor Flitwick excitedly as he cast the spell on the door.

Suddenly the door was a swirl of bright colors moving in a counter-clockwise motion as if it were unlocking itself when just as suddenly the swirling patterns stopped and started to move in a clock wise motion, which caused the door to shimmer slightly and then abruptly all color and movement ceased and the door appeared as it had before.

"What happened?" asks Hermione meekly.

"It reset itself," replies the tiny and very annoyed Charms teacher.

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"My lord?" squeaked a little man with a pointed nose and watery eyes as he made his way into the room.

"Wormtail," hissed the dark wizard, "you've kept me waiting."

"I'm sorry my lord, I came as soon as I heard you wanted to see me. I have always been a faithful servant to you and done as you commanded."

Bellatrix LeStrange snorted from behind Voldemort's chair at the sniveling coward's words.

"Play nice today Bella, I have a job for Wormtail and only one that he can do for me," Voldemort said to his faithful servant.

"A job for me my lord?" asked Wormtail in a weak and pitiful voice.

Sighing at his incompetent servant Voldemort explains, "Yes, I want you to go to Hogwarts and spy on Harry Potter for me, since Severus Snape has managed to alienate himself from the boy by offending that thrice damned little elf that protects the boy relentlessly."

"Spy on him my lord? Isn't that dangerous to go in right under Dumbledore's nose like that? I'm sure he has increased security around the castle to alert him to my presence. The Potter boy does know that I am an animagus and I am certain he told the Headmaster all about my abilities. Not to mention Remus Lupin," Wormtail said breathlessly, and with quite a bit of fear.

"Is that fear I smell on you Wormtail? Are you not a faithful servant to your lord and master?" hissed Voldemort.

"I am a faithful servant to you my lord."

Voldemort's red snake like eyes flared for a moment and he said, "Then you will go to Hogwarts and tell me what is going on in there. I need to know what is going on. I am no longer able to sense what that blasted boy is doing through the link we share."

"Yes, yes, My Lord, I will do as you ask."

"I knew you would Wormtail, I knew that you would."

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"You know if you used a trimetric decryption charm that might make it easier to unlock the door," drawled Draco lazily from the door of the infirmary.

"A trimetric decryption charm?" asked Hermione. "How would that work in this case? Harry didn't use that type of locking charm."

Sighing, the Slytherin said, "You have no imagination, do you Granger. Even though the charm won't unlock the door and let you in…"

"It will alloy us to see what the first three locking charms are," cutting in an excited Professor Flitwick. "Then after we have finished with those three, we can cast it again for the next three without fear of resetting the whole process. Excellent Mr. Malfoy, fifteen points to Slytherin for your excellent use of critical thinking in this situation."

Malfoy smirked at Hermione in a way that clearly said, 'I thought of it and you didn't.'

However, she wasn't to be outdone and Hermione suggested, "What if Harry has thought of that? Wouldn't it a better idea for three people to work in concert unlocking the charms simultaneously? That way the door would be opened much quicker."

"Yes, Miss Granger, you are correct," replied Professor Flitwick as Hermione looked smugly as the Head Boy. "We would need three people who are very skilled in charms to make it work correctly. Ten points to Gryffindor for the insight."

"Well, sir," piped up Ron Weasley, trying to get the remaining five point for Gryffindor to equal Malfoy's fifteen, "with you, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall here, would that be enough?"

"Normally, I would agree with you Mr. Weasley, but I'm afraid, that the locks are set against either the Headmaster or Professor McGonagall from opening this lock, as their magical signatures have been blocked by the charm. Their magic would be useless in this endeavor, however, I would love to see Severus try and unlock it," squeaked the tiny teacher with laughter.

"Why is that Filius?" Professor Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"It's been booby trapped against his magic."

"Well," said the Headmaster smiling, "it seems that Harry has been working on this charm for some time."

Walking up to the Charms teacher, Draco Malfoy says, "You know sir, as much as it loathes me to say, the Gryffindorks may have a point, if three people worked in concert the door would be less likely to reset it self."

"I have thought of that Mr. Malfoy, which three people did you have in mind?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"You, myself and I suppose Madame Pomfrey could do it."

Grinning, the tiny teacher said, "I'm afraid that Poppy will be very busy preparing to aid Mr. Potter to concentrate on opening the door. However, you and Ms. Granger are two of my best students, perhaps the three of us could open the door. That is if you are willing to work with… what did you call them? 'Gryffindorks'?"

"Well, I suppose I could," drawled Malfoy silkily, "Seeing as the door is magically sealed and no one from my house would know I was working with her."

"I see," said Professor Flitwick unconvinced. "Ms. Granger, could you join us for a moment?"

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Grudgingly Colin Creevey made his way up to the office of Camden Lennox to see him about what happened to him with Professor Toft. Colin absolutely did not want to talk to this man what-so-ever, but had been told that he had to.

Finally reaching the door, Colin raises his hand and knocks on it regretfully.

"Come in."

Sadly Colin opens the door and enters the office to find the mental healer sitting there waiting for him to arrive. Colin noticed immediately that Healer Lennox did hot look happy to see him.

"Mr. Creevey, you are late," the healer admonished.

"I'm sorry," mumbled Colin miserably.

Checking his watch, Camden Lennox admits, "Well, you are only a few minutes late. So let's begin shall we?"

"I guess."

"As you know Mr. Creevey, we are here to discuss the series of unfortunate events that took place between you and Professor Toft," Lennox began. "Why don't you have a seat and I would like you to tell me what happened between you."

Sitting, Colin looked at the man and said, "It wasn't unfortunate. It was something that happened between two consenting people. He was kind and gentle with me and nothing happened between us like Harry said it was like with him." Colin had assumed that Harry had said something to the authorities about whatever happened between him and Toft.

"It wasn't Mr. Potter who told anything, I do believe that they gave Veritiserum to Professor Toft. It seems he confessed to having sexual relations with several underage boys, including you."

"If he did admit to it, I was the last, and I'm not going to say anything about it," Colin said defiantly.

"No, Mr. Creevey, I'm afraid that you weren't the last boy he seduced. I have an appointment with a third year Hufflepuff boy to talk about this also. The night Professor Toft was captured, he was with the boy," Camden Lennox explained nastily.

"He was with someone else?" asked a shocked Colin Creevey. Toft had loved him, he knew it to be true. How could he be with another boy?

"He also said something else under the truth serum," the mental healer lied. "He said that he cast a spell on you, several spells in fact."

"Yes, he did."

"What were they?"

"He cast the 'Exoplasitus' spell on me."

Healer Lennox arched his eyebrow. "He used the raping curse on you?"

"NO!" Colin said loudly. "He used a pleasure charm on me."

"Exoplasitus," Lennox said causing Colin's body to react physically to the word, "Is not a pleasure charm as he may have told you. It is indeed a raping curse. He admitted using it on Harry Potter during the summer when he was being held captive by him."

"Were there any other spells he placed on you?"

"Yes," Colin said timidly. "I don't know the name of it though."

"I understand," said the healer, "What did it do to you?"

Colin blushed bright red and even though he was in some physical discomfort, he would like the spell removed from him.

"Well?" the healer said impatiently.

Colin leaned in and whispered, "He took my stiffy away."

"I beg pardon."

Sighing, Colin said, "I said, 'He took my stiffy away'."

"You mean you can't get an erection anymore at all?"

"Not exactly sir."

"Well what does it mean?" asked the healer genuinely curious as to what his friend had done to the boy.

"He took my penis away altogether."

"I see. Well then, we need to see about this. Please remove all of your clothing."

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After two failed attempts to enter Harry's private room, Hermione, Draco and Professor Flitwick finally were able to disarm the locking charm that Harry had created for the door. After the door is open everyone pours into the room to find and comfort Harry, who is now sitting in the corner of his room non-responsive.

"Harry?" Hermione says tentatively. "Are you alright?"

She receives no answer.

"Harry Potter, is you's seeing? All of you's friends have come to be seeing you and helping you's get better. They's don't want you to be hurting no more."

Madame Pomfrey quickly walks over to him and on bended knee begin performing examination charms on him in an attempt to find out what kind of condition he is in.

"Mr. Potter," the school nurse says, "Can you hear me?"

No response.

The teachers and the Gryffindors look around at each other and him not knowing what to do for their friend and student. Have they lost him completely now?

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," drawled Draco Malfoy who stalks over to the dark haired boy and picks him up by the collar of his robes until he is eye level with the Slytherin.

"Now listen up Potter," Malfoy said in a commanding voice before anyone could stop him. "We've had this conversation before. You are NOT giving up and you are not quitting anything until I have beaten you. Whatever those idiots did to you is irrelevant! You do NOT have the right to be broken by those rapists. **That is my job**! I have been the one to cultivate that in you, it is my pleasure to break your spirit not theirs. You are going to get over this and then we are going to start fighting again and then because I am the superior wizard I am going to be the one to break you. **DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"**

Then Malfoy let him go and Harry just stood there slumped against the wall and then the Head Boy turned to leave the room with everyone gaping at him. As Malfoy reached the door to Harry's private room Ron and Neville looked like they were about to explode.

"Okay."

Everyone froze in place. Malfoy turned and looked at Harry once again.

"Excuse me?"

"Okay," Harry repeated.

For the first time in his life Draco Malfoy looked like he had no idea what to say.

"Alright then," he finally said and with a curt nod, he stalked out of the infirmary.

No one said a word until Ron finally exclaimed, "What the bloody hell was that?"

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Colin Creevey stood in the temporary office of Healer Lennox without a stitch of clothing on his body, while the healer was examining his body and lack of penis.

"I am so embarrassed," Colin whispers.

"I'm sure you are Mr. Creevey, but in order for me to reverse this curse, I need to examine you thoroughly. You do want me to restore your penis or would you rather go through life without a gender?"

"Not really, I like being a boy."

"I thought as much," he replied with a slight smirk. "This will not do, I need you to lie down for this. Would you mind coming into my quarters and lying on the bed?"

"I suppose not," Colin replied and the tow walked through the door and into Healer Lennox's personal quarters where they went to the healer's bed and Colin climbed onto it.

"That's better," he said and continued his examination which only served to make Colin far more uncomfortable. Not that he was in pain, but his body had become so addicted to pleasure that the slight touched the healer was giving him was making him excited.

"Now this counter charm may make you slightly uncomfortable. So please don't be scared and try to relax as much as possible," explained Lennox, who knew perfectly well what he was doing having done with type of thing before with his now incarcerated friend, Wymer Toft on countless other men.

"Alright."

Colin lay there and heard Lennox mutter several charms and felt the magic altering his body. His flesh craved to be touched more and more as he reassumed his gender.

The transfiguration itself was taking forever, which was done on purpose by the mental healer to prolong the boy's discomfort. He was trying his best to make Colin want to be taken and not to care why or by whom. It was working. When the healer was finished, Colin was once again faced with the same problem he was the morning that that Wymer Toft transfigured him. He had a stiffy that wouldn't go away.

Smiling Camden Lennox said, "Well, it looks like you have a small problem."

Colin never heard him; he was looking at the older wizard with longing in his eyes and grabs in a leap of desperation, pounces on the healer.

"I know what you need don't I?"

"Yes," Colin moaned wantonly.

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

I wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my last chapter, I really appreciate it.


	20. The Game of Truth

**Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation**

By The Short Fat Fag

**Chapter Twenty – the Game of Truth**

Walking into her classroom, the stern transfiguration teacher notices that one of her students is missing from today's class. Glancing over to Ron Weasley, who was sitting beside Neville Longbottom, Professor McGonagall raises an eyebrow at him asking the silent question, 'Where is Miss Granger?'

Noticing her, Ron scratches his forehead, right where Harry's scar would have been if it were on him.

She gave a slight nod, letting him know that she understood. She cleared her throat and began her lecture of the day, "Now, today class, we are going to discuss human transfiguration, which is to say, some of the most difficult spell work that many of you will ever have done in your lives. That is to say that it cannot be done with one's mind on one's dinner, so do pay attention."

Everyone in the class took out quill and parchment in order to take notes.

"Now, if everyone has read the previously assigned chapters then you have the basics of the wand movement for transfiguring your hand into an animal's paw. Would anyone care to try to demonstrate for the rest of the class?"

Several people raised their hands, most notably were the Ravenclaw students in the room.

"Ms Parkinson, why don't you demonstrate for us?" Professor McGonagall asked the Slytherin who hadn't raised her hand at all.

"Me, Professor?" asked Pansy.

"Yes, you, Ms. Parkinson," the stern transfiguration replied. "Please come to the front and perform the spell for the class."

Reluctantly Pansy got out of her seat and came to the front of the classroom and attempted the wand movements to properly and painlessly transfigure her left hand into a cat's paw. However, she was unable to perform the spell correctly.

"Ow," she whimpered in pain.

"That would not be the correct manner to perform that charm Ms. Parkinson. Five points will be deducted from Slytherin. Do see if you can reverse the spell now."

Whimpering, Pansy cast, "Finite incantantum." Once again she failed to perform her assigned task correctly.

McGonagall sighed as Pansy whimpered in further pain. Walking up to the girl, she cast the proper counter charm and Pansy's hand reverted back to normal. "Perhaps you are not concentrating enough on this task Ms. Parkinson. I think a five foot essay on this assignment would do you some good."

"Yes, professor," Pansy replied as she started to return to her seat.

"To be handed in tomorrow afternoon," McGonagall added as she returned to teaching the day's topic.

Ron looked over at Neville and said, "Hermione is going to be so mad that she missed that."

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As the transfiguration class ended everyone was making their way out of the class room, Draco Malfoy was stopped by the Head of Gryffindor.

"Mr. Malfoy, please stay behind."

"Yes, sir," drawled the Head Boy as he sauntered up to her desk.

Ignoring the insult, she continued, "The Headmaster wishes to see you in his office."

"Why?"

"He failed to take me into his confidence in this matter, Mr. Malfoy; however, I assume it has something to do with your performance in the hospital wing this morning."

Malfoy remained impassive.

"I take it as the Head Boy, you know where the Headmaster's office is," she asked rhetorically.

Malfoy nodded.

"Well, then off with you Mr. Malfoy. The password for today is 'Chocolate Frogs'."

Malfoy nodded and left the classroom.

Sitting in her chair, the deputy headmistress ponders, 'I wonder what Albus has in mind with him?'

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"Harry," Hermione said, "You've got to snap out of this."

Harry wouldn't look her in the eye. He was too filled with shame that everyone now knew his secret. He had tried so very hard to keep it from everyone and now it was known to the entire wizarding world.

"Harry Potter," Dobby said frantically, "You's is needing to be listening to your Mione."

Sitting down on his bed, Hermione decides it's time everything came out in the open.

"I already knew about what happened to you Harry."

Harry looked up with hurt in his eyes, "What?"

"I figured it out on the first day of term and I confronted Professor McGonagall about it and though she refused to neither confirm nor deny it, she did say that you had been a terrible ordeal. Knowing you as I do that usually means you've been through hell and back again."

"You figured everything out?"

"Well, not at first, but from your behavior, it start to fit all together and then that day in Potions when you…" Hermione explained.

"When you's is kicking that snarky teacher's in his greasy belly," Dobby supplied as he scurried around the room.

Harry smiled a little in spite of himself.

"To quote Ron, 'Yeah that'," Hermione said and they both smiled at that.

Harry sobered almost immediately and asked, "Did you tell Ron?"

"No, I promise I didn't, but he guessed and asked me about it. He told me that he wished it was him and not you," she admitted. "However, he knew that deep down, he wouldn't have survived. Deep down I know I wouldn't have either, but you can Harry. You're the strongest person I've ever known.

"No, I'm not," Harry said sadly.

"Yes, you are."

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Scurrying along the empty corridors of the castle a small rat with small beady black eyes and a bright silver paw makes his way up from the dungeons to the infirmary. Frantically the little rat was constantly looking around to see if he had been spotted and to make sure that damned bowlegged orange furred beast that belonged to the Granger girl wasn't lurking about.

However, Wormtail was lucky and he encountered no one presently and somehow he made his way into the infirmary where he found the school nurse in her office preparing potions for someone to take and the ward was empty. Further down he heard the sounds of two teenagers talking and he knew who it had to be. He had heard their voices too many times in the past to not know them, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Sneaking under the beds as he went he crept to the open door and scurried in as the two were talking about the morning edition of the paper. Crossing the room as the house elf stood still and belittling the resident potions master, Worktail hid himself under Harry's bed and settled himself in for a long wait of listening in on the boy.

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Standing in front of the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office, Draco Malfoy takes a deep breath and begin to strengthen his mind against Legilimancy. His father had taught him the art of Occlumency last summer because he didn't want Draco to fall into a trap set by the Headmaster to reveal more than he wanted him to. Draco knew that whatever it was that the Headmaster wanted, it was not going to be a pleasant meeting.

Finally sighing, Draco looks at the gargoyle and says, "Chocolate frogs," which causes the stone beast to leap aside and reveal a spiral staircase that is moving upward. Stepping onto the bottom step, Draco Malfoy is lifted up towards the Headmaster's office. Reaching the top, Draco knocks gently on the door and it opens on its own.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy, I see that you have arrived," the Headmaster said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Yes sir, you sent for me."

"That I did," replied Dumbledore and with a graceful motion points to a chair and says, "Won't you have a seat?"

This was not what Draco had been expecting. The Headmaster had set up a wizard's chess set on a table with a chair on either side. Taking a seat on the side with the black pieces and the Headmaster takes the opposite side.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about in regards to my Head Boy duties?" asked Draco skillfully, trying to determine what it was that the Headmaster wanted from him today.

"Not at all."

"I see."

Then the Headmaster smiled again and with his wand he tapped on of the pons and it moved forward on the board.

"Did you call me here to play wizard's chess?"

"Not exactly, but since we are both here and it's already set up for us, we might as well "

"I see," Malfoy replied and taking his own wand out, he taps on one of the black pons and it moves forward, taking its place on the board.

Albus Dumbledore sat there twinkling with all his energy. "You know Mister Malfoy once you begin a game; you are sometimes forced to finish it even if you don't want to."

"Sometimes you aren't forced; sometimes a person may just want to for other reasons than being forced into it. Sometimes its better that way, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes I would, yes I would."

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"Ms. Parkinson," the Head of Hufflepuff House called out to her in Advanced Herbology.

"Yes, Professor Sprout."

"I have a special project for you to work on in class today."

"What would that be?"

Taking the girl by the arm, the Herbology teacher leads the Slytherin over to a row of plants with swelled pods on them. "I need you to collect Bubbertoober puss for Madame Pomfrey."

"But Professor," whined the girl.

"No back talking Parkinson!" snapped the plump woman. "That'll be ten points from Slytherin and now get to work."

"Yes Professor Sprout."

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A few moves into their game and quite of bit of conversation that dealt with nothing, something happened that Draco Malfoy had never experienced before during a game of wizard's chess. The board picked itself up and moved one hundred and eighty degrees, forcing the two play each other's pieces now.

"Well, that was interesting."

"I often find it easier to look at things from a different point of view sometimes, in order to understand an adversary better," explained the Headmaster. "It also helps one to learn to think when circumstances change drastically."

"I agree," lied the Head Boy as he was about to make a move and now the Headmaster was making two in a row leaving him without one.

"Now, about young Harry."

"What about Potter?"

Smiling, Dumbledore says, "Well, I would like to know your intentions towards him."

Draco actually snorted. "I think that has been painfully obvious past seven years."

"True, you have behaved in a very predictable pattern, but as I just explained, circumstances can change dramatically causing us all to have a different point of view on matters that we didn't have before."

Draco smiled, not his usual smirk, not a pureblood trained leer, but a true smile.

"Of course, if you're up to it, I think we could play two different games at the same time," challenged the Headmaster with a wink.

"What the second game be?" asked Malfoy as he was finally able to move a piece on the board.

"It's quite simple actually; it is called 'the Truth.' For the remainder of your time in my office, neither one of us may speak a falsehood or a lie, only the absolute truth."

"Intriguing."

"Are you up for it?"

"Only if I can go first," drawled Malfoy like a true Slytherin.

"Of course," replied Dumbledore which caused both of them to glow for a moment.

"What was that?"

"Well we both just entered into a binding magical contract and until you leave my office, we will both be required to stay within the confines of the rules."

Malfoy scowled, "That was very tricky of you."

"Yes, I know. Now for my question…"

"Wait a moment, I am suppose to go first," Malfoy corrected him.

"You already did when you asked what had happened to both of us," Dumbledore replied with a smile.

Malfoy looked very disgruntled as he had his queen attack and pulverize one of the opponent's bishops

"What are you're intentions towards Harry Potter?"

"That's a bit vague, can you clarify?"

"Answer the question Mr. Malfoy."

Sighing, he replied, "Well that would depend on him now wouldn't it."

"What do you mean," the Headmaster asked.

"No, no, no," drawled Malfoy, "It's my turn now. We must uphold the terms of the magical contract."

"Very well, what do you want to know?"

"What are **YOU'RE** intentions towards Harry Potter?" the Slytherin asked the Headmaster.

"I intend for him to be happy and have a full and meaningful life. Now for you to answer my earlier question, what do you mean it would depend on Harry?"

Pausing for a moment, trying to construct the reply without giving too much away, Draco thinks of his reply. "Well, I intend to be a part of his life. Metaphorically speaking, I intend to always have a place at his table. I can either sit across from him as an adversary or beside him. That would depend on what he wants, but I **WILL** be seated at the table."

"Not to discourage you, but I do believe that the chair of the enemy is being filled by another."

"That's my chair," Draco said darkly. "If you are referring to the Dark Lord, we both know that Potter is more than capable of being rid of him, thus leaving the chair open to his equal. Now my turn, what plan do you have in place to teach him to destroy self same dark lord?"

Dumbledore attempted to respond twice before he realized that in doing so would be speaking a falsehood and he finally admitted, "The plans are open at the moment. How do you feel about that?"

Standing up, Malfoy paces a few steps and then admits, "It upsets my preconceived notion of your manipulative behavior to insure that he is more than ready for that day. How utterly disappointing of you."

Malfoy sat back down and waited for the Headmaster to ask another question when he realized that it was his turn again. "Will Potter get better?"

"He will now that you told him to. Are you worried about him?"

"Yes I am. Are you going to interfere with what I have to do to get him better?"

"That depends on what you are going to do. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet, but whatever I have to. Are you going to ask me to reveal my secret about what I know about my father?"

"I wasn't planning on it," replied Dumbledore. "Would you like me to?"

"Only if you want to know. Did you know that I would tell you?"

"No, I wasn't sure if you would cooperate on that question. Where is your father, since you've brought it up?"

Draco smiled again, "Under the fidelius charm in a secret room in Malfoy Manor. Would you like to know who the secret keeper is?"

"Well actually, yes I would. Who is the secret keeper for your father's hiding place?"

"I am."

Dumbledore sat there stunned.

"Would you like to know the price of knowing where he is?"

"I'm not entirely certain, but I have a feeling that you are going to tell me anyway."

Again Draco Malfoy smiled.

"What would be the price I have to pay for finding out Lucius' location?"

"The next time one of Harry's attackers is located; there will be no Aurors, none of your secret organization, no one except me, the attacker and that little elf that belongs to Harry and you have to cover up what we do and keep it secret from everyone, including Harry."

"That's quite a bit to think about."

"Yes it is, isn't it," admitted Draco as his castle and queen placed Dumbledore's king into checkmate. "Would you like some time to think about it?"

"Yes I would Mister Malfoy."

"Good game Headmaster, we should play again sometime."

Then Malfoy got up and walked out of the Headmaster's office, leaving him much to think about.

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With swollen hands Pansy Parkinson makes her way to Care of Magical Creatures class and is late due to Professor Sprout keeping her late to finishing squeezing the last of one of the bush's puss filled swellings. Her hands were swollen and sore and she was very miserable and she still had to write that five foot essay for McGonagall.

"Gather 'round ever'one," called out Hagrid, the half giant. "Today we are going to be working with Hippogriffs. I reckon that you already know how to handle them, but we have a addition to me herd. Buckbeak was located recently and has been brought back here and today we are going to be workin' with him. Are there any volunteers?"

Pansy, who was busy rubbing her sore hands wasn't paying attention and was suddenly pushed forward by Parvati and Lavender after they had snuck up behind her.

"Well, looks like we got us a volunteer," Hagrid said happily. "Now come on up and bow to him."

Ron and Neville gave each other a look and Neville said loudly, "It's too bad Harry couldn't be here, he always said how much he loved working with Buckbeak."

"Yeah," Ron agreed equally loud, "He was always sneaking off to feed him dead rats. Harry said Buckbeak made a great companion."

The Hippogriff heard the two Gryffindors and raised his head proudly and puffed his chest out importantly. Buckbeak remembered Harry Potter and was very fond of him.

Noticing this Neville nodded over to Seamus and Dean, who immediately engaged Hagrid in conversation about something to do Hippogriffs.

Parvati and Lavender took their cues also and Parvati said, "I think Parkinson is so brave t go out there with him." Then she sniffed, "If I had put Harry in the infirmary like she did, I'd be afraid to go anywhere near any creature that Harry thought highly of."

"Yeah," Lavender replied with a fake sniff of her own. "If it was me, I'd be so afraid."

Buckbeak turned his large head to look at the pug-faced girl who was approaching him. Just then a snowy white owl flew in and perched herself on a nearby tree limb and started clicking her beak at the girl also. Buckbeak remembered the bird as a friend of Harry Potters and squawked at her. Hedwig replied with a squawk of her own and again clicked her beak at the Slytherin girl which caused Buckbeak to turn one of his beady eyes towards her.

Pansy gulped nervously and then screamed as Buckbeak reared back on his hind quarters and hit her with one of his sharp talons sending her into the trunk of a nearby tree which she hit with a sickening crunch.

"Wha's happened?" Hagrid asked when he heard her scream.

"She wasn't very respectful of the Hippogriff sir," replied one of the Hufflepuffs.

Hagrid then pointed to Crabbe and Goyle and said, "You two get her up to the hospital wing, so Madam Pomfrey can fix her up."

The two dunderheaded Slytherins obeyed and took Pansy as fast as they could up the castle.

While Hagrid's back was turned, Ron grabbed one of the dead rats and threw it to the Hippogriff, which he caught and ate quickly.

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"Madame Pomfrey," Healer Lennox said politely as he passed her office door on his way to talk to Harry Potter about the article about him in the morning Prophet.

"Healer Lennox," replied the school nurse. "I wouldn't go in there right now, if I were you. He's had a very bad morning and he is just now starting to be civil with anyone. Dobby may not take kindly to you bothering him just now."

"The elf does not tell me how to handle my patient," Lennox growled.

Madame Pomfrey's eyebrows almost disappeared in her hair line. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

Ignoring the school nurse, the mental healer strode down the ward and began to knock on the door to Harry's private room. However, he received no answer.

"You's is not bothering Harry Potter is's isn't."

Turning Lennox found Dobby standing behind him and said, "It's time for Harry to talk to me about what happened this morning."

"No it isn't being time."

"There are many things that happened this morning that we need to discuss," Lennox said again, stronger than before.

"What things is those being?"

"Well that article in the paper to begin with."

"Dobby is seeing, but I's is having a question for you's"

"What would that be?"

"Is you's talking about what you's is doing to that poor boy in you's bedroom today also?"

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

I wanted to thank the following people for reading and reviewing my chapter, I really appreciate it.

angel74, Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, gaul1, Merlin Halliwell, Monica85, Rane, sami1010220, Separatrix, texasjeanette, WinterBliss and Wren Truesong


	21. Things That Go Bump in the Daylight

**Summary**: Harry Potter disappears just after his seventeenth birthday only to be found tortured, abused and near death three weeks later. Now he journeys to either come out of the trauma or deeper into the isolation of his own mind. (Alternate Universe - seventh year story)

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**Chapter Twenty One – Things That Go Bump in the Daylight**

"Is you's talking about what you's is doing to that poor boy in you's bedroom today also?" Dobby asked the mental healer innocently.

Camden Lennox was flabbergasted. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Yes, you's do know."

"Dobby," Madam Pomfrey asks as she approaches the two, "What are you talking about?"

"I is having one of the other house elf pop in to be seeing what he is being up to and Dobby is hearing about how he had a boy tied naked to his bed and on tops of him he was."

Madam Pomfrey shot a look to the wizard and says, "Healer Lennox, what is the meaning of this?"

"I was repairing a physical transfiguration that Toft performed on the boy's bits and pieces," explained Lennox silkily. "He was highly embarrassed about having his genitalia removed and wanted it restored."

"What Dobby is wanting to be knowing is why he had to be all naked for that to be happening," the elf said with great dissatisfaction.

"Yes, I would like to know that myself," the school nurse added.

"The boy seemed reluctant to allow anyone else to examine him and I was afraid that he may be suffering from far worse spells than the ones I found on his person."

However, before either the irate house elf or the school nurse could continue this conversation, the doors to the infirmary burst open revealing Crabbe and Goyle with Pansy Parkinson in between them, looking like she had just been trampled by a fire breathing dragon.

"What happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she saw them enter.

Vincent Crabbe shrugged his shoulders as if to say he had no idea what had happened to the girl, while Gregory Goyle said rather slowly, "We were in Care of Magical Creatures class."

"What kind of animal were you studying today?" the nurse asked quickly as she pointed her finger to the nearest bed indicating that boys should put the girl on it.

Crabbe again shrugged his shoulders as if to say he had no idea forcing Goyle to respond, "Hippogriffs."

Madam Pomfrey was amazed; usually Hagrid had Hippogriffs trained to not strike out at the students.

Turning back to the mental healer, Dobby says, "Harry Potter is being having many friends who is being very bad to his enemies."

The mental healer made a noise of disgust and stalked out of Madam Pomfrey's domain.

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From under one of the hospital beds, the large old gray rat with a silver paw watched closely to the events in the hospital wing with great interest.

'So the mental healer is doing questionable things to another student?' thought the rat as he took note of the situation. 'I wonder why that is? My master would be very interested in this bit of information.'

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"Damn that little elf!" said Lennox as he stormed into his private chambers. "I should have killed him earlier, before Wymer was caught." Then the irate mental healer slammed his fist into his writing desk causing several books to fall unto the floor.

Sighing Camden Lennox sits down and begins to compose a letter. 'Well, I had better let her know what's going on here at the castle so she can get the others in place quicker than we had planned,' he thought viciously.

'_Dear Mistress,'_ he began his letter, _'We seem to have encountered an unforeseen complication…'_

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"Albus?"

"Ah, Minerva," the Headmaster says happily. "Please, do come in. What can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering how your meeting went with the Malfoy boy. You left me quite curious about it this morning."

With his eyes twinkling as usual, Dumbledore replies, "It was something that I had not foreseen in our young Mister Malfoy."

Shooting the Headmaster a stern look that clearly said, 'You've still not told me anything,' she says to him, "In what way is that Albus?"

"He offered to give me his father in exchange for something."

"Can you be certain that he even knows the location of Lucius Malfoy? He has been hiding quite effectively ever since he escaped from Azkaban," Professor McGonagall says. "What was he bargaining for anyway?"

"The right to be the one to dispose of the next person we find to be guilty of Harry's torture. Along with Dobby of course, and I have to be the one to cover it up and hide it from the wizarding community."

Then a rarity occurs, Professor McGonagall actually snorted. "He's not asking for much is he?"

"No he's not."

"You're not actually thinking of doing it are you Albus?"

Sighing, the Headmaster steeples his fingers and admits, "The thought has occurred to me Minerva."

"Albus! You can't be serious."

"I am."

"But why?" she asks incredulously.

"I think that our young Mister Malfoy has a larger stake in getting Harry back to full health than either of us had ever thought him capable of before."

The Transfiguration teacher gives Dumbledore a skeptical look.

Smiling, he adds, "I think that young Mister Malfoy may actually be in love with Harry. I think he would do his best to remove any and all obstacles that stand in his way of achieving his goal of winning Harry's love in return, even disposing of his own father."

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About the same time that Professor McGonagall departed the Headmaster's office, the current Head Boy, Draco Malfoy, entered the hospital wing.

"Drakie-poo!"

Draco Malfoy sighed inwardly and thought, 'Damn, I forgot she was in here.'

"Thank goodness you're here Drakie-poo," whimpered Pansy in a whining voice. "They've been dreadful to me all day."

"Yes, I know, I was there in Transfiguration and I heard about what happened in Herbology," Malfoy said with a slight smirk. "I told you that you should have dropped that subject a long time ago. You should have listened to me."

"This is that oaf Hagrid's fault, bringing back that dreadful beast that slashed you back in third year. You're father should have made sure that wild untamed thing was killed when he had to chance," she said in a pout.

Frowning, Malfoy stood at the end of her bed and said, "Pansy that Hippogriff flew away and hasn't been seen in years, what makes you think it was the same one?"

"That oaf Hagrid said so himself and everyone was talking about it in class. They said it was Bottom-Boy-Potter's pet and all the Gryffindorks and Hufflepoofs were fawning all over it because Potter liked it or something. It was sickening, as if some animal like that knew any different."

"Apparently it did Pansy dear," Malfoy said. Then he stood there in thought for a moment. 'Could it really be the same Hippogriff as before?' He really didn't want to think about it.

While he was in thought a small pop could be heard and a voice said, "I's is thinking you's is finding that Harry Potter is being having many friends." Malfoy and Pansy both looked at the house elf and saw Dobby standing there in his many hats and scarfs. "Dobby is thinking that many of Harry Potter's friends are not being the mindless beasts that you's is saying they is."

"Who asked you anyway?" scolded Pansy. After all this was only a house elf and they didn't count for much nor would they do anything back to you.

Dobby narrowed his eyes at the pug-nosed girl and said with dislike evident in his squeaky voice, "No one is being asking for Dobby's opinion, I's is just being giving it anyway."

Noticing the staring contest that was developing between Pansy and the elf, Malfoy asks, "How is Potter doing anyway? I **_heard_**," the Head Boy stressed the word purposefully, "through the grapevine that he locked himself in his room and won't come out."

"But you's was being…" Dobby began and then realized that Malfoy was speaking as if he wasn't present when the teachers has managed to get into Harry's room for a reason. Dobby then continued, "You's was being a nosey little bad boy when you's was being small and you's has not being growing out of that yet!"

Smirking in the trademark Malfoy manner, the Head Boy says, "Does that mean he isn't excepting visitors?"

"It is meaning that you's is minding you's manners or else you's is knowing first hand what it is being feeling like to being having pink hair, just like you's greasy head of house," Dobby said and then popped into Harry's room to see if he would be willing to talk to Malfoy.

"I don't know what the world is coming to these days," huffed Pansy from her bed. "Purebloods like us who should be treated as royalty having to deal with creatures like that."

Malfoy just looked at the girl and thought, 'Can she dig herself in any deeper?"

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Still sitting under one of the hospital beds, the same large old gray rat with a silver paw observed these new events with mild interest.

'So the Malfoy brat is sucking up to Harry?' thought the rat lazily. 'I wonder if the Dark Lord knows about this. I wonder if Lucius knows about this.' Wormtail thought about the possibilities and decided that the two boys hated each other as much as James and Snape did when they were in school, so he must be under orders to get in with Potter as much as possible.

With that thought in his head, the old rat got up and edged his way closer to the end of the bed to get a better look around the infirmary. He wanted to be in the room with the two boys when they spoke to one another.

'This is something my Master would want to know about.'

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"Harry Potter?" Dobby asked tentatively. "Is you's ready to being having a visitor?"

Harry looked up from the floor, where he was sitting with Hermione.

"Who's here Dobby?" the Head Girl asked, thinking it was most likely Ron or Ginny.

"Well …" Dobby hesitated for a moment and then said, "It is being Draco Malfoy, it is."

Harry's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

"Malfoy?" Hermione said to herself, "I wonder what he wants."

"Um," Harry said uncertainly, "Hermione, would you mind if I spoke to him in private? I don't think I can stand it if you two started in on each other right now."

"Oh," she said startled, "of course, if you're sure that is. I can hold my tongue you know."

"I know you can, but we both know that he would insult you without even thinking about it and I would prefer not to have to …"

"I understand Harry," she said as she got up from the floor. "I'll come back a little later."

"Thanks," Harry said gratefully as she walked out of his private room.

"Is you's needing anything before I's is getting the Malfoy boy Harry Potter?"

With a faint smile on his lips Harry said, "Yeah, where did we put that chess set?"

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"Malfoy," Hermione said as she exited Harry's room.

"Granger," he replied as he walked towards Harry's door to knock on it.

"Mudblood!" Pansy called out from her bed as Hermione passed it as she walked towards the infirmary doors.

"Five points from Slytherin for being juvenile and for name calling," Hermione said over her shoulder as she left the ward.

Pansy huffed indignantly in her bed and Malfoy smirked at her behind her back.

A moment later Dobby popped back into the room and said, "Harry Potter is willing to being seeing you now he is."

Malfoy nodded his head and whispered so that Pansy couldn't hear, "I need to speak with you in private, it's urgent."

Dobby narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but nodded his head in the affirmative that he would meet with the Head Boy and then allowed him to enter Harry's room.

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'The Malfoy brat wants to meet secretly with Harry's house elf?' thought the rat as it scurried into the private room and under the bed as fast and as silently as possible. 'Master will find that very interesting.'

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Harry was sitting at a table with a chess set already set up on it when Malfoy entered the room.

"Malfoy," Harry said as a greeting.

"Well, you're looking better scar head," drawling Malfoy in a bored voice. "You know all walking and talking like that, one would think that you were actually alive again."

"Nice to see you too ferret."

Malfoy smiled at the insult. "And insulting me as well. Much better indeed."

"Was there something you actually wanted other than to insult me?"

"Well, it is the perfect hobby and I do so hate to mess with perfection."

Harry rolled his eyes as the Head Boy took a seat opposite him, while taking out his wand to tap on the white pon to move it into action.

"Who know I recently played another game of wizarding chess with out esteemed Headmaster."

"You did?" asked Harry as he tapped his black pon to move across the board. "That's interesting."

"Is it interesting? It was the first time he has ever played chess with me," drawled Malfoy. "If I had known what an honor it was, I would have marked it on my calendar or something like that."

Harry smiled slightly which secretly pleased the Slytherin.

"Well, I'm sure he had some ulterior motive in mind at the time."

"Oh I'm sure he did. Did you know that his chess board picks itself up and turns itself around in mid-game? He said something about making it more interesting to play that way. Personally, I think he was just cheating."

Harry looked up at his counterpart and asked, "Did he win?"

"No."

"Are you sure about that?"

Malfoy opened his mouth to respond but said nothing for a moment.

"Apparently not," said Harry in a bored and superior tone.

"Oh you think you're so clever don't you?"

"I usually am when I am dealing with you."

Malfoy made a grunting sound in the back of his throat and had his queen pulverize an innocent looking pon. She was quite savage about it.

Deciding to change the subject Harry said, "Dobby tells me that your girlfriend is in the outer ward."

"She's **NOT** my girlfriend Potter."

Smiling Harry counters, "Really, wouldn't know that as a fact by the way she is always hanging on your arm as if she were spello taped to it."

"She is severely brain damaged," Malfoy said.

"Is that why she's in the infirmary then?"

Malfoy looked up at Harry in surprise. "Don't you know why she is here?"

"Um, no," admitted Harry. "Dobby never said and I forgot to ask to be honest."

Sitting back in his chair, Malfoy gave Harry an appraising look and then smirked and said, "Well, it seems after her little performance this morning at breakfast …"

Harry cringed at the mention of what happened that morning.

"… it seems that she managed to first get on McGonagall's bad side and has been assigned a five foot essay on the subject of transfiguring one's hand into a cat's paw. Then in Sprout's class she was singled out to harvest as many Bubbertoober pods as possible, thus getting much of it on her talons, er I mean hands, which has caused them to swell painfully."

At this point Harry was actually starting to feel like his old self again, even though it was at someone else's misfortune. Well Parkinson deserved it really.

"Then she went to Care of Magical Creatures where she met up with that damned Hippogriff that you made friends with and somehow that brute got it into his little brain that she had wronged you in some manner and apparently was not pleased about it and showed her what he thought of her."

"Buckbeak?"

"Is that the creature's name?"

Harry looked annoyed, and said, "Well, if you weren't so busy trying to look superior and had actually listened to Hagrid when he was explaining about how to interact with them, Buckbeak wouldn't have slashed you that day. Buckbeak is as gentle as a new born Kneazle with me."

"It must be your animal magnetism then."

"Must be," agreed Harry absently as he sent his rook after Malfoy's bishop.

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Wormtail sat under the bed with his mouth hanging open. Which really did not look convincing on a rat.

'The Malfoy brat had been in a private meeting with the Headmaster and now he was flirting with Harry?' he thought as he listened in on their conversation. Suddenly he had to reevaluate their relationship. This was not the behavior James and Snape displayed to each other.

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"Has she said anything to you since she's been in here?" asked Malfoy conversationally.

"I've not been out of my room since … this morning," replied Harry.

"Probably for the best then."

"Why," asked Harry mischievously. "Are you worried that she'll spill the beans about you behind your back? All about how she bleaches your hair for you in a secret Slytherin hair salon. Perhaps she'll tell the tale of how she's carrying your love child and that you're going to have to marry her to make her a respectable woman."

Malfoy shivered at the thought. "That will never happen," he said with conviction.

"Why isn't she good with hair?"

Again Malfoy opened his mouth but said nothing, which almost managed to impress Harry.

"_**I DO NOT BLEACH MY HAIR!"**_

"If you say so," Harry said in a sing song voice.

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'He's in love with him,' thought Wormtail. 'That's what he's up to; he wants to be with Harry. Master will be very pleased when he learns of this.'

Then the rat's thoughts turn quite greedy, very greedy in fact, 'I bet Lucius would be willing to pay through the teeth to keep this information away from our Master. I bet he would be willing to pay quite well to keep this from the entire wizarding world as well.'

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While Harry and Malfoy were playing wizards' chess, Dobby made himself useful by cleaning the private room Harry was staying in. Also he wanted to chaperone the two young wizards as he knew Malfoy had other interests in Harry Potter other than intellectual ones. The little elf also thought Harry knew the same thing deep down inside his heart, but wasn't ready to deal with it and has thus far ignored it.

As Dobby watched the two interact with one another, he thinks, 'I's is not thinking the Malfoy boy is realizing what he is being getting himself into. But Master Harry is only being smiling when he is near.'

However, Dobby was pulled from his thoughts when he noticed something move under Harry's bed. Frowning slightly Dobby bends down to pear under the bed and finds the swishing tail of a big fat gray rat with a silver paw. The rat was peaking out from under the bed watching Harry and Malfoy and not paying any attention to the elf as he went about the room performing his few duties.

Dobby's eyes bugged out when he realized what he was seeing. Grabbing a hold of the rat's tail, Dobby pulls him out from under the bed and begins to repeatedly banging him in the nearest table as hard as he could.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

"YOU'S IS BEING A BAD WIZARD YOU'S IN BEING!" cried Dobby as banged the rat on the table.

Both Harry and Malfoy had there wands out and pointing them at Dobby.

"Dobby," asked Harry, "What are you doing?"

Stopping what he was doing Dobby looks to the two boys and holding up the rat he says, "I's is just punishing you's enemies for you Master Harry."

"Wormtail."

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

_I wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my last chapter, I really appreciate it._

_Also, I'll try and update more often then once a year for now on, but I'm not making any promises._


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